yicvr  /<*y# 


1832-4882. 


Semi-Qentennial  Qommengement 


OF 


LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


DR.  HECKMAN’S  ADDRESS, 

WITH  A  REPORT  OF  THE 

Proceedings  of  Commencement  Week. 


JUNE  25-28,  1882. 


AN  ADDRESS 


AT  THE 


Semi-Centennial 


OF 

LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE, 


Delivered  June  27th,  1882, 


BY 


Rev.  GEORGE  C.  HECKMAN,  D.  D., 

Formerly  President  of  Hanover  College. 


Printed  by  request  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Lafayette  College. 


EASTON,  PA. 
1882. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  ADDRESS, 

LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE, 

JUNE  27TH,  1882. 


THE  period  in  the  midst  of  which  fell  the  semi-centennial 
of  the  Republic  was  marked  by  activities  and  events 
thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  the  Protestant  genius  of  our 
American  institutions.  It  is  a  section  of  our  social  and  ecclesi¬ 
astical  annals  of  considerable  interest  to  the  student  of  the 
history  of  education.  If  that  student  is  a  Presbyterian,  he  will 
not  need  to  blush  for  the  mark  his  Church  makes  in  that  his¬ 
tory.  Just  before  1825  the  Presbyterians  of  Kentucky,  true  to 
the  traditions  of  the  Reformation  and  their  denominational  pre¬ 
cedents,  had  laid  the  foundations  of  Centre  College  at  Danville. 
During  the  national  semi-centennial,  and  at  the  very  time  that 
the  citizens  of  Easton,  under  Presbyterian  leadership,  were 
founding  Lafayette  College,  the  Presbyterian  pioneers  of  Indi¬ 
ana,  fresh  from  the  work  in  Kentucky,  in  which  they  had 
shared,  initiated  the  movement  for  a  college  at  Hanover,  and  a 
few  vears  after  laid  the  foundation  of  another  at  Crawfordsville. 

4 f 

Lafayette  and  Hanover  Colleges  both  assumed  full  collegiate 
form  in  1832,  and  were  the  twin  children  of  the  same  Presby¬ 
terian  mother. 

At  the  head  of  all  these  almost  simultaneous  academic  enter¬ 
prises  was  that  Scotch-Irish  element  which  has  done  as  much 
as  any  other  nationality  in  diffusing  and  establishing  the  liberal 
ideas  and  progressive  institutions  of  the  Reformation  among 
the  Anglo-American  colonies  and  States.  Harrow  provincial 
vanity  must  not  be  allowed  to  depreciate  the  just  colonial  promi¬ 
nence  of  these  heroic  and  pious  Scotch-Irishmen,  who  made  their 
axes  and  swords,  their  learning,  logic  and  faith,  ring  as  creative 
potencies  in  formulating  history  and  moulding  States,  from  Nova 

3 


4 


DR.  HECKMAN’S  ADDRESS. 


Scotia  to  Georgia.  Let  this  eulogium  go  from  one  of  another 
nationality  as  a  passing  but  deserved  tribute  to  these  brave  and 
sturdy  Calvinists,  to  whom,  with  others  of  diverse  nativity  but 
common  faith,  our  American  civilization  owes  its  birthright — 
a  debt  which  posterity  can  pay  only  by  preserving  these  free 
institutions  from  exotic  infidelity  and  libertinism. 

The  penetrating  and  moulding  idea  of  education,  maintained 
by  these  founders  of  colleges,  was  God  as  the  supreme  concep¬ 
tion  of  thought,  the  infinite  factor  in  science,  the  highest  aim  of 
consecration,  and  the  utmost  boundarv  of  reverence  and  love. 
Most  diligent  students  of  the  material  and  spiritual  creation, 
eager  for  truth  from  whatever  direction,  and  quick  to  discover 
God  in  every  imprint  of  nature  and  history,  they  knew  nothing 
and  accepted  nothing  about  God  which  was  not  in  harmony  with 
His  own  inspired,  infallible  revelation.  “A  skeptic  once  re¬ 
quested  pastor  Fisch,  of  Lyons,  France,  to  tell  him  the  best  book 
on  the  evidences  of  Christianity.  His  answer  was :  ‘  Lead 
Paul’s  Letter  to  the  Romans.’  ”  There  is  a  world  of  wisdom  in 
this  reply.  The  way  to  know  God  is  to  read  His  Book.  Wal¬ 
ter  Scott,  when  dying,  said :  “  Bring  the  Book.”  Some  one 
said,  “  What  book?”  His  reply  was  :  “  There  is  but  one  Book 
—the  Bible.” 

Now,  the  typical  distinction  of  the  educational  system  of  the 
Reformation  and  of  American  Colonial  Christianity  is  the  Bible. 
Nor  was  this  Bible  hidden  as  a  saintly  relic,  nor  worshiped 
as  a  pagan  fetich,  nor  to  be  occasionally  exhibited  as  an  heir¬ 
loom.  Nor  did  they  define  its  place  merely  as  “the  only  infallible 
rule  of  faith  and  practice  ”  for  private  life,  though  that  is  the 
very  highest  and  best  use  that  any  man  can  make  of  the  Bible; 
they  also  planted  it  in  politics  as  the  highest  law  of  the  Common¬ 
wealth,  as  in  religion  it  was  the  sole  foundation  of  creed.  But, 
what  is  more  and  specially  relevant  now,  they  gave  the  Bible 
a  distinct  literary  place  in  the  academy  as  the  highest  educational 
force.  They  held  that  no  study  in  the  curriculum  possessed  even 
approximate  power  in  the  development  of  the  natural  faculties  ; 
that  nothing  could  so  educate  the  student  into  his  possible 
breadth  and  strength  of  life ;  and  that  no  arrangement  of  secu¬ 
lar  science  could  produce  a  physical  and  psychical  cultus  equal  to 
that  of  the  Bible,  properly  recognized  as  a  text-book  and  in  its 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


5 


ethical  place  in  other  studies.  Thank  God  !  the  created  universe 
is  large  and  multigenerous  and  pregnant  with  continuous  births 
of  knowledge,  and  we  invoke  Divine  benedictions  upon  all  hon¬ 
est  and  scholarly  investigation  and  search  through  all  the  secret 
places  of  nature,  and  truth  from  any  depository  of  creation  is  to 
us  the  voice  of  the  Shepherd  whom  we  follow.  Ancient  and 
modern  literature,  science  and  art,  do  not  appeal  in  vain  to  our 
natural  and  acquired  tastes  and  are  potent  instruments  in  the 
cultivation  we  have  gained.  Faith  can  read  their  pages  without 
fear  and  rise  from  their  study  with  freshened  vigor  and  larger 
vision.  But  the  Bible  has  ever  been  the  thesaurus  of  that  science 
which  is  most  valuable  in  the  bodily,  mental  and  moral  develop¬ 
ment  of  man,  and  to-day,  when  knowledge  runs  to  and  fro  upon 
the  earth,  and  the  boundaries  of  human  intelligence  are  spread¬ 
ing  away  with  an  eagerness  and  expansiveness  which  inspire  awe, 
the  Bible  still  holds  its  literary  and  ethical  supremacy,  its  regal 
place  among  the  ever-multiplying  themes  of  human  thought. 

At  a  recent  gathering  of  the  Sons  of  New  England  in  Phila¬ 
delphia,  the  venerable  ex-President  of  "W  illiams  College,  Dr. 
Mark  Hopkins,  said :  aThe  true  aim  of  the  highest  education 
is  to  give  character  rather  than  knowledge ;  to  train  men  to  he 
rather  than  to  know”  Now  just  such  is  the  education  of  the 
Bible,  a  consummation  which  in  its  highest  degree  is  simply 
impossible  without  the  Bible,  taught  in  the  honest  and  devout 
spirit  of  the  Reformed  Church.  It  is  not  said  that  manliness 
cannot  be  found  among  scholars  outside  of  the  walls  of  a  Chris¬ 
tian  college,  nor  that  a  noble,  admirable,  exemplary  character 
may  not  be  formed  outside  of  a  Christian  curriculum.  Ancient 
and  modern  history  has  embalmed  the  names  of  many  such  amid 
your  delightful  recollections.  But  what  is  asserted  is  this  :  that 
we  have  no  force  in  education  that  so  naturally  and  commonly 
develops  such  manhood  as  the  Bible,  and  that  we  have  no  lit¬ 
erary  institutions  which  are  so  eminently  successful  in  forming 
the  highest  style  of  character  as  are  those  Christian  schools 
the  corner-stone  of  whose  curriculum  is  the  Bible,  and  whose 
motto  is,  SciENTIA  PIETATI  ANCILLANS. 

So,  too,  when  it  is  said  “  that  the  true  aim  of  the  highest  educa¬ 
tion  is  to  give  character  rather  than  knowledge  ;  to  train  men  to 
be  rather  than  to  know ”  it  is  not  meant  that  less  attention  is  paid 


6 


DR.  HECKMAN’S  ADDRESS. 


to  literary  cultivation  in  the  Christian  than  in  the  secular  col¬ 
lege.  The  highest  aim  implies  all  lower  legitimate  ends;  supe¬ 
rior  culture  involves  all  desirable  elements  of  knowledge ;  and 
hence  the  Academy,  the  keystone  of  whose  arch  is  the  Bible, 
demands  that  its  curricula  should  be  exhaustive  of  all  that 
is  valuable  in  the  literature  of  all  science,  not  falsely  so-called. 
The  manhood  at  which  the  Christian  school  aims,  then, 
embraces  the  most  symmetrical  and  complete  education  of 
body,  mind  and  soul,  in  which,  by  the  right  of  nature  and 
the  will  of  God,  the  ethical  shall  ever  dominate  the  physical 
and  intellectual ;  and  the  instrument  of  this  moral  culture  shall 
ever  be  the  infallible  dogma  of  the  Word  of  God.  Nor  do  we 
hesitate  to  declare  that  what  is  so  plausible  in  theory  has  been 
abundantly  demonstrated  by  experiment:  that  the  Christian 
school,  with  a  larger  and  sounder  learning,  imparts  a  more  vigor¬ 
ous  manhood  and  a  more  rounded  and  consequently  richer  char¬ 
acter  than  the  legitimate  product  of  secular  education ;  and  further, 
any  system  of  education  weakens  just  in  the  ratio  as  the  ethics  of 
its  curriculum  depart  from  the  moral  principles  of  the  Bible.  Sec¬ 
ularly  in  education,  public  and  private,  has  impoverished  and 
enfeebled  the  Academy  by  ignoring,  of  necessity,  the  positive 
instruction  of  the  spiritual,  the  regal  element  of  human  nature. 
It  is  a  Satanic  inspiration,  a  madness  of  malignant  atheism,  with 
which  our  public  education  has  been  more  or  less  inoculated ; 
and,  illogical  and  irrational  as  it  is  undevout  and  materialistic, 
it  ought  to  receive,  as  it  deserves,  the  anathema  of  every  patriot 
and  Christian  and  the  determined  opposition  of  American  society. 

The  College  of  the  Reformation  is  the  guardian  of  those 
political  and  religious  ideas  which  the  Reformation  conferred 
on  European  civilization ;  and  to  it  is  largely  committed  that 
development  of  human  destiny  whose  unfolding  began  with  that 
eventful  epoch  of  history.  The  type  of  education  evolved  in 
that  wonderful  emancipation  of  mind,  if  so  well,  is  nowhere 
better  preserved  than  in  the  American  Church  College.  With¬ 
out  vanity,  and  with  a  sense  of  the  responsibility  as  well  as  of  the 
glory  of  the  fact,  we  assert  that  no  better  example  of  this  system 
can  be  found  than  that  which  our  honored  Alma  Mater  affords. 

Among  the  historic  memorabilia  that  marked  the  close  of  the 
first  quarter  of  this  century  was  the  arrival  of  General  Lafayette 


SEMI- CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE . 


7 


at  New  York,  August  16th,  1824.  This  event,  which  stirred  to 
their  very  depths  the  hearts  of  the  grateful  Americans,  suggested 
the  happy  baptism  of  the  infant  college.  My  first  and  neces¬ 
sarily  faint  recollections  of  Lafayette  College  are  connected  with 
the  opening  of  the  institution  in  a  large  building  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Lehigh.  It  was  in  marching  from  this  building  that 
my  eyes  were  fascinated  by  a  procession  of  Lafayette  students. 
The  first  great  venture  from  the  protection  and  guidance  of  the 
maternal  apron-string  was  in  following  that  bewildering  and 
enticing  march.  You  might  call  it  a  il  boy  constrictor,”  the 
way  it  drew  me  and  others  along  Pomfret,  now  Third  Street. 
It  was  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1833,  in  the  patriotic  spirit  of 
the  times  selected  for  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  first 
building  on  this  site,  Old  South  College.  The  faculty  and  stu¬ 
dents  marched  under  the  leadership  of  President  Junkin  and 
the  Society  marshals  to  the  rendezvous  in  Centre  Square.  This 
“  Grand  Plaza  ”  was  quite  different  from  what  it  is  now.  In¬ 
stead  of  squaring  the  circle  the  later  Eastonians  have  circled  the 
Square.  Then,  the  old  English  Court-House,  built  by  the 
Penns  after  a  British  model,  stood,  where  it  ought  to  have  been 
allowed  to  remain,  in  the  centre  now  occupied  by  the  beautiful 
fountain.  The  corners  of  the  Square  were  great  grass  plats, 
across  which  ran  diagonal  paths,  in  dry  weather  used  to  cut 
the  corners.  On  these  green  lawns  the  children  romped,  the  mili¬ 
tary  met  for  parade,  political  mass-meetings  convened,  and  some¬ 
times  an  open-air  religious  service  was  held.  On  the  esplanade,  if 
that  is  not  too  pompous  a  title  for  the  broad  brick  walks  sur¬ 
rounding  the  Court-House,  hucksters  would  on  court  and  elec¬ 
tion  days  and  on  the  “ Glorious  Fourth”  retail  cakes  and  beer, 
oysters  and  chestnuts,  peanuts  and  fire-crackers,  according  to 
the  season  of  those  varied  and  delicious  fruits.  The  curbstones 
of  this  pavement  were  guarded  and  ornamented  by  great  stone 
posts  with  pyramidal  tops  and  of  varying  height,  over  which 
the  boys  of  those  times  would  play  leap-frog,  and  no  boy  of 
spirit  ever  stopped  until  he  could  take  the  tallest  pillar  with  a 
stand-jump.  When  ten  or  a  dozen  boys  would  round  the 
Court-House  in  these  leaps  it  was  a  spectacle  on  which  Olympic 
athletes  would  have  deigned  to  smile  encouragement.  The 
County  House,  a  monument  of  the  massive  masonry  of  the 


8 


DR.  HECKMAN'S  ADDRESS. 


period,  which  has  also  been  ruthlessly  removed,  stood  on  the 
southeast  corner,  and  directly  opposite,  north  across  the  Square, 
stood  White’s  Hotel,  the  “ Tabard  Inn”  of  classic  Easton.  The 
only  other  public  building  was  the  market  house,  facing  north 
on  Third  Street,  toward  College  Hill. 

Now  you  may  form  a  picture  of  the  scene  in  this  American 
forum  on  that  memorable  July  Fourth,  on  which  the  boy  of 
eight  years  looked,  not  forgetting  the  fire-crackers  and  hucksters 
busily  taking  advantage  of  the  patriotic  prodigality  of  unso¬ 
phisticated  youth  under  necromancy  of  cake  and  beer.  Ah  ! 
the  dear  old  Square,  with  its  green,  triangular  lawns  and  quaint 
hall  of  justice  and  rural  sports,  will  never  witness  such  a  scene 
again.  The  noisy  brass  six-pounders,  captured  in  the  French 
war,  had  ceased  thundering  from  Mt.  Jefferson,  and  the 
merry  bells  from  church  and  school-house  had  rung  out  the 
pealing  welcome  of  “  Independence  Hay.”  Here  the  faculty 
and  students  of  the  young  College  met  the  military  companies, 
known  as  the  “  Grays  ”  and  the  u  Blues,”  and  civil  officers  and 
citizens,  men,  women  and  children.  These  composed  the  grand 
procession  which  moved  toward  the  proud  elevation  henceforth  to 
be  known  as  “  College  Hill.”  In  the  chief  cities  of  our  country 
I  have  witnessed  and  marched  in  many  grand  processions  since 
then;  but  none  ever  appeared  so  novel,  so  wonderful,  as  this. 
Undoubtedly  the  notable  man,  the  priest,  seer  and  warrior  of 
that  moving  crowd,  a  man  truly  great,  was  President  Junkin, 
who  stepped  bravely  on,  as  if  his  prophetic  spirit  beheld  a  vision 
of  the  scene  we  to-day  witness.  Many  proud  days  did  he  have 
since  that,  days  which  gave  him  an  honored  name  on  the  literary , 
religious  and  patriotic  rolls  of  his  country.  But  perhaps  from 
Paradise  he  to-day  looks  back  with  us  upon  that  Fourth  of 
July,  1833,  as  the  dearest,  brightest  day  of  his  life. 

The  procession,  the  prophecy  of  the  greater  things  of  this 
semi-centennial,  moved  up  the  old  romantic  road,  now  obliterated, 
but  which  then  climbed  the  side  of  the  hill  and  led  on  to  u  Lovers’ 
Lane,”  one  of  the  delightful  walks  of  tender  hearts  and  con¬ 
templative  minds,  long  since  gone  among  the  “  things  that  were.” 
May  one  revisiting  these  classic  shades  be  permitted,  as  fond 
memory  sweeps  the  harmonies  of  the  past,  to  quote  the  language 
of  theancient  Romans  and  cry, c<  Ilium  juit  ”  f  Ah  !  the  “  Ilium 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


9 


fuits  !”  how  they  crowd  with  mingling  smiles  and  tears  upon  the 
recollection.  “  Tempus  fugit,”  as  the  ancient  Roman  professors 
were  accustomed  to  say  to  their  students. 

On  these  heights  the  axes  of  my  great-grandfather  were  the 
first  to  fall  on  the  thick  trees.  Where  the  plows  of  three  genera¬ 
tions  of  his  family  had  turned  up  the  rich  soil,  Dr.  Junkin,  in 
the  early  June  of  1833,  broke  ground  for  these  foundations,  and 
on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  just  forty-nine  years  ago  to-day, 
the  first  stone  was  laid* by  the  Hon.  James  M.  Porter,  another 
of  the  historic  names  of  Easton  and  Lafayette.  On  the  Fourth 
of  J uly,  one  week  later,  surrounded  by  the  beauty  and  chivalry, 
the  piety  and  learning,  the  age  and  youth,  of  Easton,  and  by 
natural  scenery  not  to  be  surpassed,  President  Junkin  laid  the 
cornfer-stone.  I  gazed  upon  him  with  boyish  admiration  ;  he 
was  to  me  the  one  man  illustrious  in  the  scene,  and  it  seems  as 
though  I  even  now  feel  the  air  vibrate  with  the  thrill  of  that 
shrill  eloquence,  which,  once  heard,  could  never  be  forgotten. 
To  my  youthful  eyes,  as  he  stood  by  that  corner-stone,  he  seemed 
an  apostle  and  prophet,  surrounded  by  a  great  crowd  of  wit¬ 
nesses  representing  all  the  martyred  and  patriotic  dead  of  the 
Christian  ages.  There  was  no  flinching  then  in  fidelity  to  great 
Christian  principles,  no  want  of  sublimity  of  faith  amid  those 
feeble  beginnings,  as  with  hope  almost  only  in  the  God  of  the 
faithful  and  the  charities  of  Jesus,  he  laid  that  humble  founda¬ 
tion-stone  which  now  bears  the  glorious  superstructure  upon 
which  our  senses  dwell  in  these  happier  days.  Not  Avithout  the 
broad  charity  of  Paul  and  Luther,  and  energized  by  their  sub¬ 
lime  belief,  with  all  the  religious  patriotism  of  Elijah  and  Knox, 
George  Junkin  laid  the  vralls  of  Lafayette  College  broad  and 
deep  on  the  only  educational  basis  Avhich  is  worthy  the  confi¬ 
dence  of  American  citizens  or  the  benefaction  of  Christian 
patriots.  Though,  Avith  the  exception  of  the  present  historic 
administration,  his  successors  never  rose  to  the  glowing  confidence 
of  his  inspired  enthusiasm,  they  were  ever  faithful  to  the  Chris¬ 
tian  origin  and  type  of  the  College,  and  Lafayette,  in  curricula 
and  class-room,  on  platform  and  pulpit,  has  ever  been  true  to 
the  sublime  aim  of  its  founders,  to  the  principles  of  the  Reforma¬ 
tion  and  the  spirit  of  American  civilization. 

Did  time  permit,  it  would  be  the  grateful  Avork  of  loyal  rev- 


10  . 


DR.  HECKMAN’S  ADDRESS. 


erence  and  affection  to  speak  with  equal  and  deserved  fullness 
of  the  distinguished  men  who  stood  by  Dr.  Junkin’s  side  that 
day  and  gave  him,  in  the  same  Christian  and  patriotic  faith  and 
spirit,  that  support  without  which  his  effort  must  have  failed. 
Such  men  were  the  venerable  and  stately  McKeen ;  the  majestic 
Porter,  Nestor  of  the  bar  of  Northampton  ;  the  learned  and 
saintly  Jones;  the  faithful,  evangelical  Gray;  the  gentle, 
devoted  Wolf,  and  others;  men  of  ethnical  diversities,  but  all 
Aryans,  Americans  and  Christians,  bound  together  as  one  by 
the  highest  and  most  durable  ethical  affinities.  I  leave  them 
here  all  the  more  easily  because  they  have  found  embalmment 
among  the  u  Men  of  Lafayette  ”  by  the  historic  pens  of  Coffin 
and  Owen. 

As  on  that  bright  and  memorable  day  the  civic,  academic  and 
military  procession  withdrew  from  the  sacred  planting  of  a  little 
seed-germ  that  in  half  a  century  was  to  become  a  great  tree, 
surpassing  their  most  sanguine  hopes  and  most  prayerful  faith, 
the  small  boy,  your  speaker  to-day,  remained  awhile,  awed  by 
the  strange  ceremonies  he  had  witnessed  and  by  the  words  of 
heroic  faith  and  holy  aspiration  and  hopeful  prophecy  that  had 
fallen  from  the  anointed  lips  of  Wolf  and  Junkin,  and,  what 
was  natural,  sobered  somewhat  by  the  unfamiliar  distance  that 
stretched  from  the  now  sacred  mount  to  his  home,  a  whole  mile 
away.  Could  he  have  had  the  vision  of  a  seer,  he  might  have 
looked  southward  far  beyond  the  Musconetcong  Mountains,  and 
seen  another  boy  playing  out  his  Fourth  of  July  among  the  pines 
of  the  New  Jersey  Salem  (almost  New  Jerusalem),  a  son  of  Jesse, 
whom  God  was  rearing  to  take  up  the  arrested  and  languishing 
enterprise  of  our  Samuel,  and  endow,  by  his  theocratic  faith  and 
courage,  these  classic  heights  with  the  exceeding  glory  of  the 
transfiguration  we  to-day  behold. 

My  next  vivid  recollection  of  Lafayette  College  is  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  commencement  exercises  of  September  26th,  1838. 
Again  from  the  northeast  corner  of  Third  and  Ferry  Streets, 
where  now  stands  Masonic  Hall,  I  gazed  upon  a  procession  of 
students  on  their  way  to  St.  John’s  Lutheran  Church.  Then 
my  heart  awoke  to  the  consciousness  of  a  great  aspiration,  viz.  : 
to  become  a  student  of  Lafayette  and  march  in  such  a  proces¬ 
sion.  Young  gentlemen,  especially  those  of  modest  ambition, 


SEMI- CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE.  H 

you  little  know  the  greatness  to  which  you  may  be  born,  the 
sublimity  of  possibility  in  the  evolution  of  life. 

“  Some  are  born  great,  some  achieve  greatness, 
and  some  have  greatness  thrust  upon  them.” 

Some  of  us  have  experienced  this  thrust  of  greatness  in  a  small 
way,  in  a  narrow  arena,  so  to  speak.  It  was  not  among  my 
modest  dreams  on  that  day  of  awakening  ambition  that  in  fewer 
years  than  Jacob  served  for  the  dark-eyed  Rachel,  I,  arrayed  in 
all  the  glory  of  a  satin  sash  with  silk  fringe  a  foot  long,  and  a 
satin  covered  baton  with  a  miniature  rosette  on  each  end,  fast¬ 
ened  by  a  silver  spangle — even  I — should  twice  marshal  longer 
processions,  once  to  the  Society  Literary  Contest  and  once  during 
Commencement  Week.  Yet  that  achievement  is  a  historic 
fact :  vide  the  record  of  the  Literary  Society,  the  programme 
of  the  day,  and  the  reports  in  the  Whig  and  Journal ,  the 
Argus  and  the  Sentinel.  Alas!  that  such  days  are  not 
immortal !  What  an  ignis-fatuus  is  ambition  !  How  ephemeral 
earthly  grandeur !  “  Uneasy  rests  the  head  that  wears  a  crown.” 
In  the  classic  phraseology  of  u  the  ancient  Romans,”  if  the 
quotation  here  is  not  a  usurpation  of  others’  rights,  sic  transit 
gloria  mundi. 

There  were  but  two  graduates  that  day,  David  Coulter  and 
Benjamin  F.  Stem.  Dr.  Stem  received  all  his  literary  degrees 
from  his  Alma  Mater,  spent  his  life  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of 
his  place  of  birth  and  education  in  civil  and  literary  services, 
became  well  known  at  the  annual  college  gatherings  of  late 
years,  and  died  and  was  buried  among  the  familiar  scenes  of  his 
life.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Coulter  became  a  pioneer  in  the  then  far  off 
Missouri,  and  spent  the  whole  life  of  an  arduous  and  able  minis¬ 
try  there,  and  died  four  years  ago  “  greatly  esteemed  in  every 
community  in  which  he  lived.”  Something,  not  now  remem¬ 
bered,  in  David  Coulter’s  commencement  speech  confirmed  my 
purpose  to  prepare  for  college.  I  longed  in  after  years  to  meet 
him,  but  never  did.  I  have  to  thank  him  for  the  unintended 
but  none  the  less  real  benefit  conferred  in  the  practical  and  val¬ 
uable  impression  made  by  his  graduating  address  upon  an  eagerly 
listening  boy  of  thirteen.  To-day  in  the  reading-room  I  gazed  on 
a  framed  copy  of  the  programme  of  those  far-off  commencement 
exercises  on  which  was  printed  this  legend  : 


12 


BE.  HECKMAN’S  ADDRESS. 


“Adieu,  ye  scenes,  where  noblest  pleasures  dwell ! 

Ye  happy  seats,  ye  sacred  walls,  Farewell !” 

I  was  now  becoming  acquainted  with  the  students,  first  as 
teachers  in  the  Sabbath-school,  attendants  at  church,  and  visitors 
at  my  father’s  house  and  elsewhere ;  afterward  visiting  them  in 
their  rooms  and  halls,  until  this  literary  intercourse  bore  fruit 
in  my  matriculation  at  sixteen  under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Yeo¬ 
mans,  just  inaugurated.  To  President  Yeomans  I  wish  to  pay  a 
tribute  of  personal  gratitude.  With  all  honest  deference  to  the 
scholastic  ability  of  the  successive  faculties  of  Lafayette,  I  do  not 
think  any  possessed  a  teacher  superior  to  Dr.  Yeomans.  He  was 
an  educator  in  the  true  etymological  sense  of  the  term.  His 
touch  on  a  student’s  mind  was  like  the  rod  of  Moses  on  the  foun¬ 
tain  hidden  in  the  rock.  He  could  make  more  out  of  the  native 
furniture  of  a  pupil  than  any  teacher  I  ever  knew,  and  I  have 
had  some  famous  teachers,  a  fact  without  any  reflection  on  them, 
for  they  have  also  had  some  great  scholars.  If  there  was  any 
latent  force  in  a  student,  Dr.  Yeomans  would  educate  it;  you 
know  what  I  mean — educo,  to  draw  out.  He  left  no  waste, 
unemployed  material  in  any  of  his  boys.  He  educated  and  built 
up  everything  in  them  that  had  worth  and  use.  I  wish  it  would 
do  to  bring  forward  some  specimens  of  his  glorious  and  wonder¬ 
ful  power.  But  as  modesty  has  thus  far  been  busy  to  restrain, 
so  now  charity  and  prudence  whisper,  “  Silence  is  golden.”  But 
this  orator  and  scholar  was  indeed  no  common  educator.  If  the 
preaching  of  Dr.  Junkin  inspired  the  hearts  of  his  students  with 
theocratic  faith,  pious  courage  and  consecrated  zeal,  Dr.  Yeomans 
quickened  their  rational  nature  to  a  sense  of  the  nobleness  of 
intellectual  exertion  and  the  glory  of  scholastic  triumphs  to  a 
degree  they  had  never  experienced  before.  His  mental  touch 
was  like  the  wand  of  a  fairy,  or  better  and  truer  in  some,  like 
the  trump  of  a  resurrection.  It  is  a  pleasure,  almost  worshipful, 
to  dwell  upon  the  memory  of  one  of  whom  an  alumnus  writes 
me  as  “  that  truly  great  man,  Dr.  Yeomans.” 

With  tender  and  reverent  affection  does  our  recollection  turn 
to  President  Charles  W.  Nassau,  the  learned  Christian,  the  con¬ 
scientious  teacher,  the  saintly  friend.  In  our  day  he  was  the 
Professor  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages.  The  unsophisti¬ 
cated  boy  is  terribly  frightened  at  the  awful  conditions  by  which 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


13 


college  authority  barricades  the  gateway  of  the  temple  of 
knowledge.  When  Prof.  Nassau  gently  drew  the  undersized 
boy  of  sixteen  to  his  side,  and  quieted  his  fears  and  anxieties 
into  that  composure  which  made  examination  easy  to  one 
really  prepared,  and  the  narrow  gate  of  the  temple  a  royal 
highway,  the  grand,  venerable,  stately  Christian  gentleman  and 
scholar  made  another  of  those  many  conquests  of  respect  and 
affection  which  he  so  readily  won  and  never  lost.  Many  grown 
men,  fathers  and  grandfathers  now,  still  live  to  bless  the  benig¬ 
nant  Providence  which  laid  the  moulding  hand  of  Charles  W. 
Nassau  upon  their  character  and  life.  Nor  will  your  speaker 
forget  that  when,  a  youth  of  eighteen,  he  united  with  the  Church, 
it  was  the  hand  of  Dr.  Nassau  that  first  gave  him  fraternal 
welcome  to  the  court  of  Christ. 

If  less  is  said  here  of  President  McLean,  it  is  because  I  knew 
him  less  intimately,  meeting  him  but  occasionally  during  a 
vacation,  but  he  was  a  man  who  would  always  make  the  meeting, 
something  pleasant  to  be  remembered.  He  was  recalled  a  few 
days  ago  by  the  reprint  in  the  Cincinnati  Gazette  of  the  pro¬ 
gramme  of  the  graduating  exercises  of  his  class  in  Ohio  Univer¬ 
sity  in  1827.  Whenever  an  alumnus  of  Lafayette  College  did 
meet  Dr.  McLean,  he  always  received  a  most  eager  and  genial 
welcome  from  one  who  could  be  young  with  the  youngest  and 
at  home  in  any  presence  whatever,,  and  whose  unquestioned 
abilities  and  sincere  services  were  ever  at  your  command,  as  they 
were  devoted  with  unwearied  energy  and  brilliant,  though  tem¬ 
porary,  success  to  our  Alma  Mater. 

Whether  it  was  because  of  different  temperament  in  the  dis¬ 
tinguished  gentlemen  themselves,  or  because  as  an  alumnus  grows 
older  he  is  admitted  to  presidential  society  on  more  familiar 
terms,  the  later  presidents  of  Lafayette  have  appeared  more 
genial  and  confidential.  Dr.  Junkin  did  not  find  social  famil¬ 
iarity  with  students  easy,  and  seemed  much  absorbed  in  abstracted 
consciousness  of  some  larger  world  of  thought  and  enterprise, 
where  he  lived  much  alone.  Dr.  Yeomans  was  respected  even 
to  fear,  not  of  the  man,  but  of  his  masterful  will,  and  was  one 
whom  the  student  dreaded  to  encounter  with  an  opposing  view 
or  wish ;  for  he  penetrated,  measured  and  weighed  every  adoles¬ 
cent  specimen  whom  the  course  of  collegiate  tides  brought  before 


14 


DR.  HECKMAN'S  ADDRESS. 


him ;  and  he  had  a  wonderful  dialectic  power  of  convincing  a 
student  against  his  will  and  holding  him  to  his  convictions, 
sending  him  away  overwhelmed  with  compliment  and  defeat. 
If  space  allowed,  it  would  be  amusing  and  profitable  to  relate 
some  instances  of  his  gentle,  persuasive,  irresistible  force.  The 
only  victory  the  writer  ever  scored  was  in  a  case  where  his  con¬ 
sent  to  a  contrary  choice  was  necessary,  and  which  he  escaped 
by  flight  to  the  masterly  inactivity  of  a  secluded  retreat  among 
New  Jersey  hills.  But  if  Dr.  Yeomans  was  standing  in  the 
company  of  magnates  of  Church  or  State,  and  #n  old  student 
happened  by,  there  was  no  cold  look  of  recognition,  but  the  quick 
smile  and  friendlv  call  and  cordial  hand.  Now  all  this  elaborate 
retrospect  is  intended  to  introduce  President  G.  Wilson  McPhail, 
whom  we  hold  in  respectful  memory  and  fraternal  regard.  A 
courteous  Christian  and  popular  preacher,  it  was  delight  as  well 
as  profit  to  meet  him  in  the  walks  of  society  or  sit  under  his 
ministry.  In  the  class-room  of  an  institution  which  has  always 
been  favored  with  eminent  teachers,  he  established  a  reputation 
for  scholarship  which  will  never  be  forgotten  in  the  grateful 
affection  and  admiration  of  his  students  and  will  survive 
through  all  the  future  annals  of  the  College.  He  also  won  the 
respect  and  secured  the  friendship  of  the  alumni  graduated  under 
his  predecessors.  We  look  back  with  cherished  remembrance 

A 

to  his  ever  prompt  and  genial  welcome  and  to  the  frequent 
hours  spent  in  the  social  hospitalities  and  the  literary  relaxations 
of  his  sanctum. 

We  enter  the  departments  of  instruction,  and  now  the  names 
crowd  painfully  on  our  difficult  but  necessary  selection  and  brief 
mention — not  less  difficult  because,  thank  God!  so  many  of  these 
eminent  men  still  survive.  In  mathematics  and  natural  philoso¬ 
phy  we  at  once  recall  Charles  F.  McCay,  LL.  D.,  the  first 
incumbent  of  the  chair,  an  earnest  Christian,  a  ripe  scholar 
and  a  forcible  teacher.  Love  and  admiration  are  alike  stirred 
at  every  recollection  of  the  Hon.  Washington  McCartney,  “the 
scholar,  jurist,  Christian,”  whose  lofty  scorn  would  burst  like 
lava  on  any  attempt  at  deception  or  fraud  in  the  class-room,  but 
who  was  ever  just  and  tender  to  sincerity,  helpful  and  patient 
with  struggling  mediocrity,  and  fair  and  generous  to  faithful 
students  whose  tastes  and  talents  led  them  to  prefer  other  depart- 


SEMI- CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


15 


ments  to  his  own.  Even  these  his  wide  and  varied  attainments, 
his  brilliant  genius,  and  large,  loving  nature  enabled  him  to  give 
invaluable  and  ever-ready  help.  The  venerated  triad  is  com¬ 
plete  with  Dr.  James  H.  Coffin,  the  glory  of  whose  name  and 
fame,  known  in  every  school  of  science,  shall  ever  rest  in  halo 
over  Lafayette.  Last  Saturday  afternoon  I  stood  by  his  grave 
and  read,  with  uncovered  head,  the  honest  epitaph  :  “  An  origi¬ 
nal  contributor  to  science,  an  enthusiastic  teacher,  and  a  consist¬ 
ent  Christian.”  Full  and  deserved  as  this  eulogium  is,  it  yet 
gives  but  an  imperfect  conception  of  the  wealth  of  character  of 
this  distinguished  savant.  As  I  stood  by  his  grave  a  squirrel 
ran  up  the  path  to  my  feet  and  looked  fearlessly  up  into  my  face, 
as  if  it  felt  no  harm  could  come  from  one  who  had  tears  to  shed 
over  the  tomb  of  the  loving,  generous  Coffin.  The  remains  of 
McCartney  and  Coffin  lie  near  together,  and,  as  I  read  the 
inscriptions  on  their  monuments,  I  felt  that  there  was  much 
truth,  after  all,  in  monumental  panegyric  ;  here  all  that  is  graven 
is  true,  but  how  little,  after  all,  of  what  was  true  in  these  two 
great  lives  is  told  here. 

In  the  department  of  languages,  besides  the  already  mentioned 
Nassau,  well  remembered  and  cherished  names  throng  upon  us  : 
the  venerable  Cunningham,  whose  tall  form  still  lingers  among 
the  lakes  and  hills  of  his  native  Scotland  ;  our  martvred  mission- 
aries,  Lloyd,  of  China,  and  Loewenthal,  of  India;  and,  looming 
grandly  up  among  them  all,  the  majestic  Lyman  Coleman,  whose 
memory  on  last  Sabbath  night  received  from  an  able  pen  and 
loving  heart  the  noble  and  elaborate  tribute  which  it  deserves 
from  every  friend  of  learning  and  Christianity. 

The  names  of  many  distinguished  teachers  still  living — and 
some  of  them  still  connected  with  the  College,  and  some  known 
and  honored  wherever  science  is  taught — tempt  the  pen  to  eager 
praise  of  lives  and  learning  that  have  given  distinction  to  Lafa¬ 
yette  in  her  past  and  present.  But  their  presence  commands  a 
silence  which  respect  and  veneration  find  it  hard  to  keep.  This 
address  could  not  be  biographical,  nor  even  strictly  historical, 
and  has  been  constructed  so  as  to  repeat  nothing,  if  possible, 
which  may  be  found  in  “  The  Record  of  the  Men  of  Lafayette.” 
You  have  already  perceived,  even  if  other  qualifications  were 
mine,  how  inadequate  to  semi-centennial  demands  is  the  brief 


16 


DR.  HECKMA  E’S  ADDRESS. 


space  into  which  this  sketch  must  be  compressed.  Take  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  and  passing  now  the  venerated  names  already 
mentioned,  what  would  an  hour  avail  for  the  consideration  of  a 
roll  which  contains  the  names  of  Gen.  Robert  Patterson,  Hon. 
Hopewell  Hepburn,  Enoch  Green,  Rev.  Drs.  Robert  Steel  and 
John  Dorrance,  Hon.  Charles  Sitgreaves,  Joseph  McElroy, 
D.  D.,  and  Jonathan  Edwards,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Gov.  James 
Pollock  and  Ario  Pardee? 

The  reminiscences  that  crowd  upon  the  mind  in  a  retrospect 
of  fifty  years  are  so  many,  and  naturally  some  so  personal,  that 
it  is  difficult  to  choose  among  them,  and  it  is  not  easy  to  avert  the 
suspicion  of  egotism  in  a  literary  duty  like  this.  And  the  neces¬ 
sarily  brief  lines  make  it  a  hard  task  to  memorize  any. without 
doing  injustice  to  some  worthy  of  semi-centennial  mention  whom 
you  are  yet  compelled  to  pass  in  silence.  So  little  time  is  left 
for  the  Alumni  of  Lafayette  that  the  temptation,  under  a  sense 
of  justice  to  them,  is  to  omit  even  the  brief  testimony  to  their 
worth  which  is  alone  possible  now.  Among  my  Sabbath-school 
teachers  I  recall  readily,  and  with  affection,  these  Alumni  of 
Lafayette:  Rev.  Jas.  W.  Wood,  D.  D.,  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
Hon.  A.  G.  Richey,  of  New  Jersey,  both  surviving  in  vigor¬ 
ous  usefulness ;  Jas.  Snodgrass,  Esq.,  who  died  'at  Great  Bend, 
Indiana,  in  1854,  and  W.  C.  Logan,  Esq.,  of  Maryland,  who 
died  while  I  was  penning  this  anniversary  address.  Thus  you 
perceive  how  the  legal  profession  of  our  Alumni  were  during 
student  life  represented  in  Christian  work.  Let  us  remember 
that  Lafayette  College  was  inspired  not  only  by  the  desire  and 
duty  to  raise  up  a  Christian  ministry,  but  also,  and  better  still, 
by  the  cherished  obligation  to  provide  that  broader  education 
and  nobler  training  demanded  by  the  sons  of  Christian  sires 
and  the  electors  of  Christian  States.  Now  let  us  here  emphasize 
and  make  historic  a  fact  hitherto,  if  not  overlooked,  yet  not 
recognized  in  its  importance.  The  graduates  of  Lafayette  who 
have  entered  the  ministry  have  with  notable  fidelity  and  honor¬ 
able  distinction  fulfilled  the  expectations  of  the  devout  and  patri¬ 
otic  founders  and  patrons  of  the  College,  and  they  deserve  and 
receive  due  honor  for  their  faithfulness,  as  a  class,  to  the  relig¬ 
ious  legends  and  traditions  of  their  Alma  Mater.  But  I  submit 
for  your  thought  that  this  happy  result  is  not  so  remarkable,  if 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


17 


as  congratulatory,  as  another  fact,  viz. :  That  those  who  have 
graduated  into  other  professions  and  the  varied  vocations  of  the 
laity  have  been  as  generally  and  signally  true  as  the  ministry 
to  the  special  genesis  and  type,  purpose  and  development,  of  the 
College.  These  facts,  and  the  principles  they  involve  and  their 
place  in  the  history  of  American  education,  are  worthy  of  more 
frequent  mention  and  more  elaborate  consideration  than  this 
sketch  allows.  And  none  but  an  intelligent  Christian  patriot 
can  appreciate  the  satisfaction  which  such  results  convey.  They 
are  at  once  the  reward  and  the  stimulus  of  self-denying  labor 
and  liberality  in  this  fundamental  duty  of  the  Church  of  God. 

But  whither  are  active  memory,  filial  veneration,  eager  grati¬ 
tude  and  willing  pen  tending?  Just  here,  more,  perhaps,  than 
before,  do  the  requisitions  and  possibijities  of  a  semi-centennial 
address  fascinate  and  appall  me.  Who  can  do  justice  in  an  hour 
to  the  half-century’s  history  of  Lafayette  College? 

Anniversaries  are  usually  occasions  of  congratulation  and 
hope,  if  not  of  satisfaction.  Many  must  be  content  with  what 
has  been  heroic,  faithful  and  noble  in  the  past,  with  only  sub¬ 
mission  for  a  suffering  present  and  hopefulness  for  the  future. 
We  in  this  anniversary  are  happier.  We  lift  up  our  hearts  to 
God,  overflowing  with  grateful  congratulation,  with  devout 
thanksgivings  and  joyful  anticipations,  as  to-day  we  contem¬ 
plate  the  past,  the  present  and  the  future  of  our  Alma  Mater. 
We  come  back  from  the  past  on  this  semi-centennial  to  see  the 
heroic  faith  and  fidelity  of  the  origin  and  early  history  of  Lafa¬ 
yette  College  crowned  with  material  and  academic  glory,  for 
which  our  faith  long  prayed  almost  against  hope.  Our  words 
are  feeble  to  express  our  gratitude  to  God  for  the  Divine  bene¬ 
dictions  which  have  crowned  the  wise,  watchful,  indefatigable 
administration  of  President  Cattell,  and  the  munificent  benefac¬ 
tions  of  Ario  Pardee,  William  Adamson,  John  Welles  Hollen- 
back,  John  I.  Blair  and  others.  We  have  no  tears  to  shed 
over  some  landmarks,  immortal  in  our  cherished  recollec¬ 
tions,  but  which  have  been  swept  from  sight  by  the  march 
of  splendid  and  substantial  improvements.  We  are  only  too 
glad  in  these  filial  visits  to  see  our  dear  Alma  Mater  with 
youth  and  beauty  renewed,  with  a  growing  vigor  that  makes 
her  stronger  than  her  sons,  and  in  a  more  queenly  dress 
2 


18 


DR.  HECKMAN’S  ADDRESS. 


than  in  those  days  of  trial  and  poverty  when  we  drank 
learning,  honor  and  piety  from  her  bosom.  AVe  have  never 
had  any  other  than  feelings  of  admiration  and  gratitude 
for  the  devotion,  statesmanship  and  triumphs — financial,  aca¬ 
demic  and  religious — which  must  ever  make  the  administration 
of  President  Cattell  distinguished  in  the  history  of  Lafayette 
College  and  of  American  education.  But  believe  one  who  stood 
as  a  silent,  observant  boy  at  the  laying  of  these  foundations  in 
those  far-off  days — though  now  seemingly  so  near — that  what 
thrills  us  most  and  makes  this  semi-centennial  a  prolonged  Te 
Deum  is  this  :  that  the  administration  upon  which  God  has 
bestowed  these  successes  and  prosperities — through  light  and 
darkness,  in  ebb  and  flow,  in  joyful  thanksgiving  and  glorious 
achievement — has  ever  l^een  faithful  to  the  Divine  origin  and 
aim  of  this  Christian  College.  As  we  gaze  upon  these  beautiful 
grounds,  so  harmonizing  with  the  splendid  setting  of  nature;  as 
we  look  out  upon  these  many  stately  buildings  and  study  the 
academic  equipment  of  our  Alma  Mater,  we  exclaim:  “All 
these,  and  Christ  with  All  !”  We  bless  God,  and  honor 
our  noble  President.  We  praise  God,  nor  forget  to  thank  those 
wise  benefactors  who  here  have  laid  their  offerings  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus.  We  turn  to  the  Faculty  and  Trustees  in  gratitude  for 
the  honor  and  glory  with  which  they  have  aided  to  environ  this 
literary  homestead  of  ours.  We  look  out  upon  our  ancestral 
Easton,  and  crave  her  citizens  to  ever  honor  and  cherish  the 
institution  which,  of  all  their  many  noble  enterprises,  has  most 
honored  them.  We  turn  to  the  undergraduates,  and  bid  them 
to  consecrate  themselves  to  the  future  of  their  Alma  Mater,  that 
her  centennial,  which  some  of  them  will  live  to  see,  shall  more 
than  fulfill  the  glorious  hopes  and  promises  of  this  auspicious 
hour.  And  we,  the  Alumni  of  Lafayette  College,  pledge  all  we 
can  and  ought  to  do  to  maintain  and  augment  the  literary  and 
religious  fame  and  usefulness  of  the  Mother  of  us  all.  While  all 
of  us,  meeting  and  parting  until  we  shall  no  longer  meet  on 
earth,  looking  out  from  these  fading  scenes  of  time,  shall  hope 
to  meet  and  renew  the  friendships  and  associations  of  the  present 
amid  the  gladder  scenes  of  eternity,  through  the  grace  of  Him 
“  who  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light,” 

CD  v  O 


.  IR  IEPO  12/  T 


OF  THE 

Exercises  of  Commencement  Week,  s 

1882. 


Taken  from  the  Lafayette  College  Journal ,  July,  1882. 


Sunday,  June  25th — baccalaureate  day. 

Could  George  Junkin  have  stood  on  the  brow  of  College  Hill  upon 
the  morning  of  this  day  which  ushered  in  the  Commencement  week 
of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  College,  his  heart 
would  have  been  filled  not  merely  with  common  wonder  and  admi¬ 
ration  at  the  vast  changes  which  he  here  witnessed,  but  with  sincere 
thankfulness  to  the  Author  of  it  all  for  the  manner  in  which  He  had 
fulfilled,  and  more  than  fulfilled,  his  most  ardent  wishes.  As  he 
looked  upon  the  manifold  evidences  of  the  material  prosperity  of  the 
College,  upon  its  magnificent  buildings,  the  gifts  of  wise  and  liberal 
benefactors,  or  upon  its  campus  adorned  with  all  the  beauty  of  nature 
assisted  by  art,  his  thoughts  would  doubtless  have  turned  to  the 
modest  foundations  which  he  and  his  fellow-workers  laid  in  faith  and 
love  so  many  years  ago,  and  his  heart  would  have  gone  out  anew  in 
.profound  thanksgiving  toward  Him  whose  mercies  have  been  so 
signally  manifested  in  the  past  history  of  the  College. 

On  this  beautiful  morning  as  the  deep-toned  chapel  bell,  the  use¬ 
ful  gift  of  the  class  of  ’79,  sounded  forth  its  summons,  throngs  began 
to  wend  their  way  toward  the  sacred  place  to  hear  the  last  words  of 
counsel  and  wisdom  from  the  lips  of  the  President.  In  spite  of  the 
great  heat,  the  chapel  was  crowded  with  an  appreciative  and  sympa¬ 
thetic  audience. 

At  half-past  ten  the  graduating  class  marched  into  the  chapel, 
followed  by  President  Cattell  in  his  official  robes,  escorted  by  the 
president  of  the  class.  The  choir  then  sang  the  anthem,  “  Hark, 
the  Song  of  Jubilee,”  by  W.  B.  Bradbury.  After  reading  of  Scrip¬ 
ture  and  prayer  by  Dr.  Traill  Green,  the  congregation  sang  the 
familiar  hymn,  “All  Hail  the  Power  of  Jesus’ Name,”  and  then 

19 


20 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


President  Cattell  commenced  the  Baccalaureate  sermon.  His  text 
was  taken  from  the  sixth  verse  of  the  ninth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  “  His 
name  shall  be  called  Wonderful:” 

After  a  brief  introduction  discussing  the  significance  attached  to  the  various 
names  applied  to  the  Messiah  in  the  prophetical  writings,  he  discussed  the 
person  and  character  of  Christ  as  given  in  the  cotemporaneous  records  of  His 
life,  which  are  now  accepted  as  equally  authentic  with  any  historic  documents 
that  we  possess  Taking  the  same  point  of  view  from  which  we  regard  the 
lives  of  all  other  men — even  those  whose  careers  have  been  most  remarkable — 
the  historic  Christ  was  shown  to  be  pre-eminently  “The  Wonder”  among 
men.  His  personal  force,  as  seen  in  all  the  subsequent  history  of  the  world, 
has  been  a  subject  of  no  less  interest.  Christianity  was  not  merely  a  system 
of  doctrines.  The  Doctor  argued  at  some  length  in  showing  that  Chris¬ 
tianity,  in  its  marvelous  progress  and  triumph,  was  the  development  of  the 
personal  power  of  the  historic  Christ.  From  the  examination  of  this  unique 
and  wonderful  power  of  the  Man  of  Nazareth  over  the  lives  of  his  brother 
men,  His  divinity  could  be  as  clearly  established  as  by  the  miracles  He 
wrought.  If  we  do  not  admit  this  divinitv,  which  He  himself  claimed, 
we  are  in  the  presence  of  an  historical  enigma  that  defies  solution ;  but 
to  acknowledge  this  Wonder  among  men  as  Immanuel — God  with  us — is 
to  accept  a  divine  mystery  which,  though  above  our  reason,  is  not  against  it. 
No  other  explanation  of  the  person  and  character  of  Christ  can  satisfy  the 
mind  and  heart  of  men.  He  discussed  the  Arian  and  Socinian  views  of  Christ, 
contending  that  they  had  never  been  derived  from  a  devout  study  of  the  sacred 
Word,  and  though  admitting  Christ  to  be  in  one  sense  a  wonder,  these  views 
had  never  fully  met  the  religious  consciousness  of  God’s  people.  In  conclu¬ 
sion,  he  held  up  Christ  to  his  audience  as  the  Divine  Wonder  among  men,  the 
object  of  their  love  and  praise  and  worship,  whose  life  was  to  be  imitated  and 
whose  commands  were  to  be  obeyed. 

Young  Gentlemen  of  the  Graduating  Class : 

This  semi-centennial  year  of  the  College  invites  us  to  a  retrospect  of  its 
history  and  an  examination  of  the  principles  upon  which  it  was  founded  and 
upon  which  it  is  now  conducted.  Others  during  this  Commencement  week 
will  discuss  these  subjects  in  their  relations  to  science  and  literature;  they 
will  point  you  to  the  noble  array  of  cultured  men  the  College  has  sent  forth 
to  the  learned  professions  and  into  the  business  walks  of  life  as  the  best  illus¬ 
tration  of  what  it  has  had  in  view,  and  also  as  demonstrating  the  success  with 
which  its  lofty  aim  has  been  accomplished.  And  to  these  men  Lafayette 
College,  proud  and  grateful  for  their  success  and  rich  in  possessing  their  love 
and  loyalty,  may  point  as  the  best  promise  it  can  give  of  continued  success  in 
the  great  and  noble  work  before  it. 

But  from  this  sacred  desk  to-day  I  may  only  refer  to  those  religious  princi¬ 
ples  upon  which  the  College  has  been  established.  Its  founders  designed  that 
it  should  be  not  only  an  institution  of  sound  learning,  but  also  a  school  of 
Christ.  Its  first  president,  many  years  before  he  entered  upon  his  duties  here, 
had  devoted  his  life  with  rare  enthusiasm  to  the  special  object  of  Christian 
education,  and  the  first  exercises  upon  the  9th  of  May,  fifty  years  ago,  in  the 
humble  house  across  the  Lehigh,  were  opened  by  him  in  supplicating  for  the 
College  the  presence  and  benediction  of  the  great  Teacher.  His  successors  in 
office  have  all  been  ministers  of  Christ ;  and  its  friends  and  patrons,  rejoicing 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLECE. 


21 


at  every  enlargement  of  its  appliances  for  secular  instruction,  still  regard  its 
work  in  advancing  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  Jesus  as  the  first  and  foremost  of 
the  lofty  aims  it  has  in  view. 

And  therefore  in  these  last  words  of  mine  to  you  I  have  spoken  of  Christ. 
It  is  the  great  theme  upon  which  I  have  ever  loved  to  dwell,  and  now,  as  you 
bid  farewell  to  these  halls,  my  heart  prompts  me  to  greater  earnestness  and 
urgency  in  this,  my  last  message  to  you  from  this  sacred  desk.  Many  of  you 
indeed  have  chosen  Him  to  be  your  master  and  friend  ;  your  fellow-students 
can  testify  that  the  power  of  His  grace  has  wrought  with  divine  efficacy  in  the 
daily  lives  you  have  led  among  them.  My  prayer  for  you  is  that  you  may  all 
choose  this  better  part  which  shall  never  be  taken  from  you,  and  that  you 
may  grow  more  and  more  in  His  knowledge  and  grace  until  you  reach  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ.  So  shall  you  secure  in  this 
life  the  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  understanding,  and  so  shall  you  attain 
unto  everlasting  joy  and  felicity  in  the  ages  to  come. 

Last  week  I  attended  the  funeral  services  of  one  of  the  trustees  of  this  Col¬ 
lege,  the  venerable  David  Thomas,  of  Catasauqua,  a  man  so  honored  and 
beloved  by  the  people  among  whom  his  life  had  been  passed  that  all  places 
of  business  were  closed  and  the  whole  community  in  their  reverent  love  fol¬ 
lowed  him  to  the  grave.  And  men  spoke  of  his  rare  endowments  as  a  man  of 
business,  so  modest  and  retiring  yet  so  sagacious  and  energetic  and  courageous 
and  enterprising;  but  uppermost  in  all  men’s  thoughts  was  his  humble  Chris¬ 
tian  life  that  had  been  to  them  like  a  benediction  from  heaven.  And  let  me 
remind  you  also  of  that  great  scholar  who  passed  away  from  our  midst  since 
the  last  Commencement — my  revered  and  beloved  colleague,  Dr.  Coleman. 
Another  will  speak  to  us  fully,  in  the  memorial  service  this  evening,  of  his 
long  and  honored  life ;  I  point  you  only  to  his  faithful  testimony  for  Christ, 
and  remind  you  how  the  grace  of  the  Master  whom  he  loved  and  served  made 
him  strong  and  helpful  to  others  and  crowned  his  life  with  jieace  and  joy. 

The  skeptic  in  human  happiness  has  asked  “  Is  life  worth  living  ?”  Let 
this  question  be  argued  by  those  who  have  sought  in  this  life  only  the  praise 
of  men  and  the  things  that  perish  in  the  using ;  it  is  answered  for  us  in  the 
lives  of  these  two  followers  of  Christ. 

Go  forth  then,  beloved  youth,  sustained  and  strengthened  by  Christ’s  grace, 
to  meet  in  the  busy  world  the  duties  that  await  you  with  their  joys  and  sor¬ 
rows.  Your  Alma  Mater  will  lovingly  follow  you  through  all  your  career, 
proud  if  you  shall  win  distinction  among  your  fellow-men,  but  grateful  above 
all  if  you  shall  possess  the  grace  of  Christ  and  shall  show  to  the  world  its 
power  to  mould  your  lives  like  His  and  to  make  you  triumph  over  sin  and 
death. 

But  I  must  come  to  the  final  word  ;  and  now,  in  the  name  of  my  colleagues 
I  bid  you  affectionately  farewell. 

Never  has  it  been  our  pleasure  to  listen  to  a  more  impressive  dis¬ 
course  than  this.  It  was  more  than  scholarly  or  eloquent ;  it  was  a 
message  from  the  heart  delivered  personally  to  each  of  his  hearers. 
At  the  address  to  the  graduates  the  members  of  the  class  arose  aud 
remained  standing  during  the  rest  of  the  service.  After  the  sermon 
they  sang  most  impressively  the  hymn,  “  My  faith  looks  up  to 
Thee.”  Dr.  Cattell  then  made  a  prayer,  and  after  the  doxology  and 
benediction  the  large  audience  dispersed. 

THE  BRAINERD  EVANGELICAL  SOCIETY. 

The  importance  of  this  society  to  the  cause  of  Christianity  in 
Lafayette  College  cannot  be  overestimated.  Quietly  and  effectually 


22 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


it  performs  its  appointed  work,  exerting  a  constant  influence  for 
good  over  the  entire  College  community,  and  exemplifying  in  the 
outside  world  the  principles  of  Jesus.  Year  by  year  it  adds  to  its 
record  of  good  service  done  in  the  Master’s  cause,  and  year  by  year 
it  sends  out  devoted  men  to  carry  out,  on  a  larger  scale,  the  principles 
which  they  have  here  learned. 

This  year  more  than  usual  interest  attended  its  anniversary,  as 
being  marked  by  the  dedication  of  its  new  and  beautiful  session- 
room  in  South  College,  the  room  formerly  occupied  by  the  Washing¬ 
ton  Literary  Society.  The  Brainerd  Society  has  long  felt  the  need 
of  a  more  suitable  place  in  which  to  hold  its  meetings,  and  early  in 
the  year  began  the  task  of  raising  funds  for  the  purpose,  appointing 
a  furnishing  committee  to  oversee  the  disbursement  of  them.  How 
thoroughly  they  have  accomplished  their  work  is  well  attested  by 
the  beautiful  and  harmonious  appearance  of  the  room,  with  its 
handsome  carpet  of  excellent  material,  its  comfortable  walnut  chairs, 
arranged  in  semi-circular  rows,  its  dark-brown  papering,  and  its 
rich  curtains  and  hangings,  all  uniting  to  form  a  pleasing  and  sym¬ 
metrical  whole. 

At  four  o’clock  on  Sabbath  afternoon  a  large  audience  gathered 
to  witness  the  dedicatory  exercises.  C.  A.  Walker,  President  of  the 
society,  called  the  meeting  to  order,  and  after  the  College  choir  had 
rendered  a  “  Thanksgiving  Anthem,”  President  Cattell  invoked  the 
divine  blessing.  Mr.  Walker  made  a  few  remarks,  dwelling  espe¬ 
cially  upon  the  manner  of  conducting  the  work  among  the  students. 
The  singing  of  the  hymn,  “  Come  ye  that  love  the  Lord,”  was  fol¬ 
lowed  by  the  report  of  the  furnishing  committee,  through  Stanley 
Williamson,  chairman.  This  report  comprised  a  concise  statement 
of  the  work  and  of  the  way  in  which  it  had  been  accomplished. 

After  singing  the  hymn,  “  Saviour,  like  a  shepherd  lead  us,”  Rev. 
John  Fox,  ’72,  of  Baltimore,  made  the  annual  address,  taking  for 
his  theme  the  words  of  Martin  Luther :  “  Three  things  are  necessary 
for  a  theologian — prayer,  meditation  and  temptation.”  He  traced 
all  things  in  science  and  art  to  theology,  and  said  that  it  had  ever 
been  the  burning  question  of  the  day.  The  power  of  prayer  was 
unfolded,  showing  it  to  be  the  bulwark  of  righteousness  and  the 
mainstay  against  temptation.  The  speaker  said  that  the  prayer¬ 
meeting  w^as  in  college  the  guard  of  a  young  man’s  morals.  But 
we  cannot  do  justice  in  a  brief  report  to  this  most  excellent  address. 
It  will  long  be  remembered  by  the  members  of  the  society  who  had 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  it. 

Rev.  W.  H.  James,  of  Springdale,  Ohio,  being  the  oldest  gradu- 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  .OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


23 


ate  of  the  society  present,  offered  the  dedicatory  prayer.  Brief,  but 
happy  and  appropriate,  remarks  were  then  made  by  Bev.  Dr.  Heck¬ 
man  and  Keys.  Messrs.  Sproull,  Kellogg,  Hart  and  Murphy, 
the  latter  gentleman  having  served  for  years  as  a  missionary  in 
Africa.  After  a  hymn  had  been  sung,  Dr.  Ballard  dismissed  the 
gathering  with  the  benediction. 

MEMORIAL  OF  REV.  LYMAN  COLEMAN,  D.  D. 

Sunday  evening,  the  time  usually  allotted  to  the  annual  sermon 
before  the  Christian  Brotherhood,  was  occupied  by  the  Rev.  Alfred 
H.  Kellogg,  of  Detroit,  who  had  been  invited  by  the  Faculty  to 
present  a  memorial  sermon  upon  the  life  and  character  of  our  vener¬ 
able  and  beloved  Dr.  Coleman,  who  died  in  March  last,  having 
served  Lafayette  devotedly  for  the  past  twenty  years.  No  more 
fitting  person  than  Mr.  Kellogg  could  have  been  chosen  to  perform 
this  last  office  of  respect.  From  1862  to  1865  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Brainerd  Church,  in  Easton.  During  this  period  he  lived  with  Dr. 
Coleman,  contributing  largely  to  the  comfort  and  happiness  of  his 
friend.  The  sermon  was  delivered  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church. 
President  Cattell,  Rev.  F.  E.  Miller  and  Rev.  A.  R.  Stevenson  also 
occupied  the  pulpit  and  took  part  in  the  exercises.  Mr.  Kellogg 
took  his  text  from  Zachariah  i,  5,  “Your  fathers,  where  are  they? 
and  the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever?”  His  sermon  was  a  beauti¬ 
ful  review  of  the  life  of  the  departed  Professor.  (Dr.  Kellogg’s 
sermon  has  been  printed  by  order  of  the  Trustees  of  the  College, 
and  upon  application,  a  copy  will  be  sent  to  any  alumnus  of  the 
College.  The  synopsis  which  was  given  in  the  Journal  is,  therefore, 
omitted.) 

Monday,  June  26tii — the  senior  class  day  exercises 

Were  given  by  a  united  class,  and  constituted,  as  of  old,  one  of  the 
most  attractive  features  of  Commencement  week.  A  stage  had  been 
erected  under  the  maples  in  front  of  South  College,  and  long  before 
two  o’clock  arrived,  the  seats  which  surrounded  it  were  completely 
filled  by  a  large  and  attractive  audience. 

Shortly  after  two  o’clock  the  exercises  were  opened  with  an  excel¬ 
lent  selection  by  the  Germania  Orchestra  of  Reading,  which  fur¬ 
nished  the  music  throughout  Commencement.  The  divine  blessing 
was  invoked  by  President  Cattell,  after  which  Mr.  E.  D.  McCulloch, 
of  Peoria,  Illinois,  Master  of  Ceremonies,  made  a  few  graceful  and 
appropriate  remarks.  The  following  programme  was  then  carried 
out : 


24  REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 

Salutatory . J.  R.  Strawbridge,  York  County,  Pa. 

History . M.  B.  Lambert,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa. 

Music. 

Presentation . O.  D.  Skinner,  Fostoria,  Ohio. 

Poem . J.  P.  Welsh,  Orangeville,  Pa. 

Music. 

Class  Oration . A.  C.  LaBarre,  Slateford,  Pa. 

Mantle  Oration . A.  D.  Light,  Lebanon,  Pa. 

Music. 

Prophecy  . . .  C.  S.  Melvin,  Oakland,  Cal. 

Valedictory . E.  S.  Herbert,  St.  Clair,  Pa. 

Music. 


The  salutatorian,  J.  R.  Strawbridge,  welcomed  those  who  had 
gathered  together  to  do  honor  to  Eighty-two’s  Class  Day.  At  this 
point  of  the  exercises,  just  as  the  historian  had  taken  his  place,  the 
traditionary  class-day  thunder-storm,  copious  in  showers,  arose,  com¬ 
pelling  the  large  audience  to  seek  shelter  in  the  neighboring  chapel, 
which  was  at  once  filled  to  overflowing,  crowds  occupying  the  aisles, 
and  many  more  standing  at  the  doors  and  windows,  unable  to  gain 
admittance,  and  eaves-droppers  in  the  extreme  sense  of  the  term. 
As  soon  as  this  change  had  been  made  the  master  of  ceremonies 
introduced  Mr.  M.  B.  Lambert,  the  historian.  This  is  a  most  diffi¬ 
cult  office  to  fill  satisfactorily,  but  Mr.  Lambert  performed  its  duties 
admirably,  relieving  the  inevitable  monotony  with  tact  and  ability. 
The  presentation  by  Mr.  O.  D.  Skinner,  was  one  of  the  best  per¬ 
formances  of  the  day.  Eighteen  members  of  the  class  wTere  in  turn 
called  to  the  stage  to  receive  a  variety  of  gifts,  emblematic  of  their 
various  personal  peculiarities.  The  points  were  well  chosen,  and 
the  remarks  were  decidedly  witty,  eliciting  frequent  applause.  The 
poem  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Welsh  was  a  production  of  merit,  manifesting 
much  care  and  no  little  poetic  talent.  Mr.  A.  C.  LaBarre,  the  class 
orator,  a  finished  speaker,  next  delighted  the  audience  with  his  ora¬ 
tion.  Mr.  A.  D.  Light,  in  a  few  well-chosen  words,  handed  down 
the  mantle  of  senioric  dignity  to  the  class  of  Eighty-three,  who, 
through  their  representative,  Mr.  F.  H.  Guffey,  responded  in  fitting 
terms.  The  veil  of  futurity  was  then  raised  by  the  seer,  Mr.  C.  S. 
Melvin,  who  with  prophetic  vision  pictured  the  occupations  of  the 
members  of  the  class  in  the  year  A.  D.  1900.  Mr.  E.  S.  Herbert 
then  gave  a  fitting  close  to  the  delightful  exercises  by  graceful  words 
of  farewell. 

PROMENADE  CONCERT. 

The  annual  promenade  concert  has  passed  out  of  its  experimental 
state  and  has  become  an  established  feature  of  Commencement  week. 


SEMI- CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


25 


And  a  most  delightful  feature  it  is,  too,  when  the  weather  is  favor¬ 
able.  The  Senior  Class  was  this  year  peculiarly  fortunate  in  this 
respect.  The  showers  of  the  afternoon  had  freshened  and  purified 
the  air  without  rendering  it  damp  or  unpleasant.  The  maple  grove 
of  the  South  campus  was  again  brought  into  use.  Illuminated,  as 
it  was,  by  hundreds  of  Chinese  lanterns,  and  filled  with  a  gay  and 
joyous  throng  of  “fair  women  and  brave  men,”  it  would  be  difficult 
to  imagine  a  more  perfect  scene.  Crowds  roamed  at  pleasure  over 
the  beautiful  grounds,  listening  to  the  notes  of  the  magnificent  over¬ 
ture  from  William  Tell,  or  to  the  lighter  though  scarcely  less  beauti¬ 
ful  strains  of  Boccaccio  or  the  Mascotte.  Many  preferred  to  ascend 
to  the  second  floor  of  the  library,  and  from  its  convenient  windows 
to  watch  the  animated  scene  below,  and  drink  in,  at  a  greater  dis¬ 
tance,  the  strains  of  delicious  harmony.  It  is  estimated  that  at  least 
two  thousand  people  were  present,  a  larger  crowd,  perhaps,  than  had 
ever  before  collected  on  the  campus  for  a  similar  purpose.  The 
music,  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  P.  Bissinger,  of  Reading,  was 
excellent.  The  selections,  which  were  good  and  were  rendered  with 


skill,  were  as  follows : 

PART  i. 

Wedding  March — from  Midsummer  Night’s  Dream . Mendelssohn 

Overture — Poet  and  Peasant . Suppe 

Waltz — Woman’s  Love . Fahrbach 

Clarinet  Solo — . Ngo  Contidi  Parigi  Donizetti 

Selections  from  opera — The  Mascotte . Audrian 

Dedication  March — ’32  Golden  Wedding  ’82  . . H.  M.  Seem 

(Dedicated  to  Lafayette  College,  by  Dr.  H.  M.  Seem,  Class  ’79.) 

PART  II. 

Overture — William  Tell . Possini 

Cornet  Solo — Eleonora  Polka . W rigand 

Selections  from  opera — Boccaccio . Suppe 

Waltz — Les  Sirenes . Waldteufel 

Clarinet  Solo — Polonaise  Brillante . Binglebere 

Potpourri — Florveret  for  everybody . Bach 


It  was  a  cause  of  regret  to  all  when  the  programme  drew  toward 
its  close.  But  everything,  however  enjoyable,  must  have  an  end, 
and  at  about  eleven  o’clock  the  music  ceased  and  the  crowds 
returned  to  the  town  below,  leaving  College  Hill  silent  and  dark. 

FRATERNITY  REUNIONS. 

After  the  promenade  concert,  the  various  fraternities  held  their 
annual  reunions,  all  of  them  being  most  enjoyable  affairs.  We  have 
space  but  for  brief  mention  of  each. 


26 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


The  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon  held  its  banquet  and  reunion  in  its 
rooms,  which  have  recently  been  elegantly  refurnished.  Rev.  J.  I. 
Good,  of  Philadelphia,  ’72,  presided. 

The  Zeta  Psi’s  had  an  excellent  supper  and  a  most  delightful  time 
at  their  rooms.  E.  D.  McCulloch,  ’82,  presided. 

The  Phi  Charge  of  Theta  Delta  Chi  held  a  large  and  enjoyable 
reunion  and  banquet  in  their  rooms.  C.  B.  Adamson,  ’77,  presided. 

The  Sigma  Chi’s  held  their  fifteenth  annual  banquet  in  the  Grays’ 
Armory,  where  they  had  a  most  enjoyable  time.  E.  D.  Wetmore, 
’82,  presided. 

The  Theta  Chapter  of  Phi  Kappa  Psi  held  its  thirteenth  annual 
reunion  in  its  rooms,  after  which  it  adjourned  to  the  Franklin  House 
to  partake  of  the  excellent  collation  prepared  by  the  proprietors. 
Samuel  Sprecher,  ’74,  C.  E.,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  presided. 

The  annual  banquet  of  Phi  Delta  Theta  was  held,  this  year  at 
their  rooms.  Prof.  A.  P.  Berlin,  ’76,  of  the  State  Geological 
Survey,  presided. 

The  Rho  Chapter  of  the  Chi  Phi  fraternity  held  its  reunion  and 
banquet  in  Abie’s  Hall.  Dr.  J.  B.  Heller,  ’74,  presided. 

The  Delta  Tau  Delta’s  met  in  their  rooms  where  they  passed  a 
most  enjoyable  evening.  L.  G.  Shultz,  ’82,  presided. 


Tuesday,  June  27th — alumni  day. 

At  nine  o’clock  an  audience  composed  of  students,  alumni  and 
others,  assembled  in  the  chapel  to  listen  to  the  Semi-Centen¬ 
nial  Commencement  Address.  The  usual  chapel  services  were 
conducted  by  Rev.  W.  Henry  Green,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  ’40,  the  emi¬ 
nent  professor  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary. 

President  Cattell,  before  introducing  the  orator,  said  he  noticed 
that  a  spirit  of  inquiry  had  been  aroused  by  the  blowing  of 
the  mammoth  class  horn  of  ’71,  in  addition  to  the  ringing  of  the 
bell  which  was  the  ordinary  summons  to  prayers.  The  blowing  of 
a  horn  was  not  uncommon  in  this  vicinity ;  but,  in  such  a  connec¬ 
tion,  it  would  doubtless  need  a  word  of  explanation  to  the  younger 
alumni.  The  older  ones  would  remember  that  before  the  College 
came  into  possession  of  its  first  bell  the  horn  daily  aroused  the  stu¬ 
dents  from  slumber  to  attend  chapel  at  five  a.  m.,  an  exercise  fol¬ 
lowed  by  two  hours  of  manual  labor  before  breakfast.  Aaron  O. 
Hoff,  a  venerable  man  of  seventy-four,  who  this  morning  had  blown 
the  horn  from  the  chapel  steps,  fifty  years  ago  performed  that  office 


SEMI- CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


27 


in  the  old  Lafayette,  he  being  at  the  same  time  a  member  of  the 
first  Freshman  Class. 

Rev.  Dr.  George  C.  Heckman,  ’45,  late  President  of  Hanover 
College,  Indiana,  and  now  pastor  of  the  Avondale  Church  in  Cin¬ 
cinnati,  was  then  introduced  as  the  orator  of  the  day.  (The  address 
is  printed  in  full  in  the  preceding  pages,  and  the  synopsis  which 
appeared  in  the  Journal  is,  therefore,  omitted.) 

WASHINGTON  AND  FRANKLIN  REUNIONS. 

Immediately  after  the  Commencement  address  the  two  literary 
societies  held  their  annual  reunions  in  their  new  quarters  in  Pardee 
Hall.  Both  were  fraught  with  interest,  and  were  unusually  well 
attended  by  alumni  and  friends. 

FRANKLIN. 

Never  before  was  a  greater  number  of  alumni  assembled  in  the 
rooms  of  the  Franklin  Society  upon  an  occasion  of  this  kind.  Mr. 
O.  E.  AYilliams,  president  of  the  society,  called  the  meeting  to  order 
and  requested  Rev.  Joseph  Beggs,  ’51,  to  lead  the  society  in  prayer. 

Gen.  E.  L.  Campbell,  ’55,  of  Trenton,  was  then  introduced  as  the 
reunion  orator.  Choosing  as  his  subject,  “  Higher  Education  as 
the  Productive  Cause  of  a  Higher  Standard  of  Citizenship,”  he  elo¬ 
quently  and  ably  pleaded  for  a  greater  dissemination  of  knowledge 
as  a  means  of  elevating  the  moral  tone  of  the  community.  Repu¬ 
diating  the  idea  that  knowledge  of  any  kind  is  dangerous,  he  showed 
how  every  advancement  in  philosophy  and  every  discovery  in  science 
must  infallibly  lead  to  the  divine  Author  of  all  science. 

Mr.  A.  C.  LaBarre,  ’82,  then  delivered  a  brief  valedictory,  and 
Mr.  E.  S.  Horner,  ’84,  responded  in  happy  terms. 

.  The  meeting  was  then  thrown  into  the  hands  of  the  graduates. 
Mr.  G.  W.  Kidd,  ’36,  Secretary  of  the  Cotton  Exchange  and  Board 
of  Trade  of  Houston,  Texas,  and  the  first  person  on  whom  the 
diploma  of  the  College  had  been  conferred,  was  chosen  by  a  rising 
vote  to  preside.  On  taking  his  seat,  he  made  a  few  happy  remarks, 
in  which  he  stated  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  committee  that 
drew  up  the  first  constitution  of  the  society.  He  officiated  throughout 
with  much  grace  and  dignity.  Telling  speeches  were  made  by  Rev. 
Joseph  Beggs,  ’51 ;  Rev.  G.  C.  Heckman,  D.  D.,  ’45;  Judge  Kirk¬ 
patrick,  ’63 ;  Rev.  W.  AY.  McKinney,  ’57 ;  James  H.  Neighbor, 
Esq.,  of  Dover,  N.  J.,  ’48,  and  F.  AY.  Edgar,  Esq.,  ’71. 


28 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


At  12.30  the  meeting  adjourned.  Marked  attention  was  drawn 
to  “  Father  Beggs,”  as  he  recounted  the  history  of  the  society,  when 
— in  1850 — he  was  for  some  months  its  sole  member.  He  described 
his  regular  weekly  ringing  of  the  bell,  roll-call  and  announcement 
of  exercises,  as  he  “  held  the  fort  ”  until  reinforcements  were  obtained 
from  the  incoming  class. 

WASHINGTON. 

Washington  Hall  was  the  scene  of  a  large  gathering,  its  beautiful 
new  library-room  being  an  object  of  universal  admiration. 

Mr.  R.  J.  Phipps,  president  of  the  society,  called  the  meeting  to 
order  and  requested  Rev.  Charles  Wood,  of  Brooklyn,  ’46,  to  invoke 
the  divine  blessing. 

The  valedictory  address  was  then  made  in  appropriate  terms  by 
F.  V.  Frisbie,  ’82,  who  was  followed  by  Horace  Heydt,  ’84,  who 
responded  on  behalf  of  the  undergraduates.  Hon.  Robert  Snod¬ 
grass,  ’57,  then  delivered  the  alumni  oration  on  “  The  Difficulties 
of  Life.”  The  oration  was  an  admirable  one,  rich  in  fine  thoughts, 
eloquently  and  forcibly  expressed.  After  this  the  graduating  class 
received  their  diplomas  from  Aula  Washingtonia. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  regular  exercises,  the  Upper  House, 
W.  L.  S.,  held  its  session,  Rev.  Dr.  W.  Henry  Green,  ’40,  presiding. 
After  a  few  excellent  remarks  by  the  President,  the  following  officers 
were  elected  by  acclamation  for  the  ensuing  year : 

Rev.  Professor  William  Henry  Green,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. ;  Vice-President,  Hon. 
Robert  Snodgrass  ;  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  Professor  D.  B.  King ;  Standing 
Committee,  Rev.  Professor  T.  C.  Porter,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  H.  D.  Laclienour, 
M.  D.,  James  K.  Dawes,  Esq.,  W.  Gibson  Field,  Esq.,  D.  W.  Nevin,  Esq., 
Professor  D.  B.  King  and  Russell  C.  Stewart,  Esq. 

Prof.  King  made  a  report  as  Treasure^,  and  Dr.  Porter,  on  behalf 

of  the  Executive  Committee.  A  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  Mr. 

* 

J.  S.  Rodenbough  for  his  valuable  services  in  decorating  and  fur¬ 
nishing  the  rooms. 

Capital  addresses,  full  of  wit  and  wisdom,  were  then  made  by  Hon. 
A.  G.  Richey,  ’40;  Mr.  John  W.  Hollenback  (one  of  the  trustees 
of  the  College) ;  Rev.  Thomas  Thomas,  ’42,  and  Rev.  David  Tully, 
of  Oswego,  ’47  ;  after  which  the  society  adjourned. 

GRADUATING  THESES. 

The  Theses  of  the  following  members  of  the  Senior  Class — Stu¬ 
dents  in  the  Technical  Courses — were  submitted  to  the  Trustees, 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE . 


20 


Faculty  and  Board  of  Examiners  of  the  Pardee  Scientific  Depart¬ 
ment,  Tuesday  afternoon,  at  1£  o’clock,  in  the  Civil  Engineering 
Lecture-Boom,  in  Pardee  Hall : 

1.  Review  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Bridge  over  the  Delaware  River 

at  Easton,  Pa. — J.  W.  Nute,  Easton. 

2.  Design  for  a  new  Wrought-iron  Bridge  over  the  Lehigh  River,  at  Third 

Street,  Easton,  Pa. — C.  H.  Talmage,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

3.  Review  of  Ventilating  Apparatus  of  East  Mine  Shaft,  St.  Clair,  Pa. — H. 

S.  Gay,  Shenandoah. 

4.  Preparation  of  Pure  Acids  for  Analytical  Purposes— J.  T.  Baker,  Scranton. 


CLASS  REUNIONS. 

The  quarter  century  meeting  of  “  Young  America,”  or  the  class 
of  ’57,  was  held  in  Newkirk  Hall.  An  excellent  dinner  greeted 
these  alumni.  The  meeting  was  convened  by  the  Class  Secretary, 
Rev.  E.  C.  Cline.  The  class  graduated  twenty-seven  men,  four  of 
whom  have  died.  Ten  were  at  the  reunion  and  all  the  remaining  ones 
were  heard  from  but  two.  Personal  reminiscences  formed  a  chief 
part  of  the  speeches  delivered.  Twelve  of  the  class  are  ministers, 
six  are  lawyers,  one  a  physician,  one  a  teacher  and  the  rest  in  various 
business.  All  of  them  are  married  and  all  have  children. 

Decennials. — The  class  of  ’72  met  at  the  United  States  Hotel, 
partaking  of  the  regular  dinner  in  a  body.  A  pleasant  chat  was 
had,  and  letters  were  read  from  various  members  not  present.  Some 
of  them  are  down  in  Texas,  some  in  Mexico  and  others  in  almost 
every  State  in  the  Union.  Not  a  death  has  occurred  among  those 
who  graduated.  An  election  of  officers  was  held,  and  S.  C.  Smith, 
Esq.,  of  Phillipsburg,  was  elected  president;  C.  A.  Sandt,  Esq., 
Easton,  secretary.  It  was  resolved  to  meet  again  in  1885. 

Blasters. — The  class  of ’79  were  largely  gathered  in  attendance, 
but  as  their  proceedings  were  more  social  than  formal,  no  report  has 
been  prepared  for  our  columns. 

ATHLETIC  SPORTS, 

The  third  annual  commencement  contest  of  the  Lafayette  College 
Athletic  Association  was  held  on  the  campus,  Tuesday  afternoon,  at 
two  o’clock.  The  cool  weather  brought  crowds  of  people  to  College 
Hill  to  witness  the  contest,  which  all  anticipated  would  be  a  most 
interesting  one.  Scores  of  carriages  filled  with  gayly  dressed  ladies 


30 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


sporting  the  “  maroon  and  white,”  occupied  the  drives  surrounding 
the  campus,  while  hundreds  of  pedestrians  held  the  intervening 
space  and  filled  the  windows  of  the  neighboring  Halls. 

Gold  medals  were  offered  in  each  event,  and  in  addition  to  these 
the  winner  of  the  100  yards  dash,  open  to  all,  received  a  handsome 
silver  cup,  presented  by  J.  W.  Freeman;  and  the  winner  of  the 
half-mile  run,  a  similar  cup,  the  gift  of  H.  F.  Seip,  D.  D.  S.,  ’76. 
We  give  the  various  events  below,  together  with  the  names  and 
records  of  the  winners : 

The  100  Yards  Dash  was  won  by  J.  J.  Chester,  ’82,  in  11  seconds. 

Putting  the  Shot — W.  C.  Bond,  ’83  ;  33  feet  and  1  inch. 

Running  High  Jump — P.  C.  March,  ’84  ;  5  feet  2  inches. 

Open  100  Yards  Dash — B.  W.  McIntosh,  ’84;  10|  seconds. 

Tug  of  War — First  heat,  ’84  vs.  ’85,  won  by  ’84  by  10  inches;  second  heat, 
’83  vs.  ’84,  in  two  minutes  ;  ’84  was  pulled  over  by  ’83. 

Throwing  the  Hammer — J.  B.  Hencli,  ’83  ;  72  feet  2  inches. 

Half-mile  Run — J.  L.  Ludlow,  ’84;  2  minutes  and  18  seconds. 

120  Yards  Hurdle  Race — W,  E.  Schoch,  ’84;  22  seconds. 

Pole  Vaulting — A.  D.  Shields,  ’84  ;  8  feet  6  inches. 

220  Yards  Dash — J.  J.  Chester,  ’82 ;  25j  seconds. 

One  Mile  Walk — G.  N.  Chalfant,  ’84;  8  minutes  41  seconds. 

Running  Broad  Jump — P.  C.  March,  ’84;  18  feet  2  inches. 

One  Mile  Run — Elwood  Hay;  5  minutes  41  seconds. 

440  Yards  Dash — J.  J.  Chester,  ’82;  59  seconds. 

The  field  officers  were  :  Referee — Gen.  Frank  Reeder  ;  Judges — M.  H. 
Jones,  Jr.,  T.  A.  H.  Hay, ’76,  Dr.  H.  F.  Seip, ’76,  E.  D.  McCulloch, ’82 ; 
Timers — G.  M.  Reeder,  Thomas  Rinek,  W.  D.  Holmes ;  Starter — B.  W. 
McIntosh,  ’84  ;  Judge  of  Walking — G.  M,  Reeder;  Clerk  of  Course — Hunter 
Eckert, ’83  ;  Assistant  Clerks  of  the  Course — F.  L.  Fox,  ’84,  J.  M.  McCortney, 
’85 ;  Marshals — A.  R.  Fillebrown,  ’83,  chief,  C.  P.  Bassett,  ’83,  D.  S.  Seitz, 
’83,  A.  C.  Overholt, ’84,  E.  P.  Remington,  ’84,  J.  W.  Keeler,  ’84,  T.  W.  Grant, 
’85,  W.  J.  Trembath,  ’85,  F.  M.  Decker,  ’85 ;  Measurers — H.  W.  Cattell,  ’83, 
C.  E.  Schell,  ’85. 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL  REUNION  OF  THE  ALUMNI. 

At  four  o’clock  the  alumni  assembled  in  Pardee  Hall  auditorium  for 
their  Semi-Centennial  Reunion.  Rev.  Thomas  Thomas,  of  Stevens- 
ville,  class  of  ’43,  invoked  the  Divine  blessing.  President  Cattell, 
after  welcoming  the  alumni  in  a  brief  speech,  stated  the  object  of 
the  meeting  to  be  the  hearing  of  reports  or  remarks  from  a  repre¬ 
sentative  of  each  of  the  classes  present.  It  was  decided  to  select  as 
chairman  a  golden  mean  between  the  older  and  younger  alumni,  and 
A.  C.  Trippe,  Esq.,  ’57,  of  Baltimore,  who  was  here  with  his  class  to 
celebrate  the  quarter  century  anniversary  of  their  graduation,  was 
chosen  to  preside. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


31 


Mr.  Trippe,  upon  taking  the  chair,  made  a  few  spirited  remarks 
and  presided  through  the  meeting  with  courtesy,  ability  and  dignity. 
He  was  particularly  earnest  in  his  remarks  upon  the  necessity  of  the 
alumni  doing  more  and  better  for  the  College ;  and  frequently,  in  the 
course  of  the  meeting  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  adjourned  meeting 
in  the  evening,  spoke  felicitously  and  eloquently,  referring  particu¬ 
larly  to  the  effect  of  religion  upon  education  and  the  necessity  of  the 
young  men  of  this  country  being  educated  under  Christian  influ¬ 
ences,  in  order  to  counteract  the  bad  element  constantly  coming  into 
this  land,  settling  here,  and  finally  gaining  equal  grounds  with  the 
best  of  men,  so  far  as  civil  rights  are  concerned.  Such  men  possess¬ 
ing  liberty,  fail  to  know  what  it  is,  and  it  devolves  upon  the  alumni 
of  this  and  other  colleges,  and  of  all  friends  of  education,  to  give 
every  possible  support  to  the  right  education  of  the  youth  of  our 
own  land. 

In  the  class  of  ’36,  Mr.  George  W.  Kidd,  for  a  long  time  a  mer¬ 
chant  in  St.  Louis,  and  of  late  years  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trade 
of  Houston,  Texas,  where  he  is  also  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  was  called  to  the  stage  as  the  veritable  Adam  of  the  assem¬ 
blage,  the  holder  of  the  first  diploma  issued  by  the  College. 

He  said  his  business  was  that  of  a  toiler  and  not  an  orator,  one  accus¬ 
tomed  to  work  and  not  to  take  any  part  in  the  rostrum.  “  Last  night,”  said  he, 
“  as  I  walked  through  the  College  Reading-room  and  looked  about  me,  the 
lights  iif  their  brightness  shone  upon  the  portrait  of  Dr.  Junkin,  and  a  gleam 
so  lighted  up  his  countenance,  that  he  seemed  to  smile  upon  the  scene.  His 
body  rests  in  Laurel  Hill,  but  it  seemed  to  me  that  his  spirit  moved  among 
us  and  approved  the  intent  of  our  present  gathering.” 

The  scenes  before  him,  and  Easton  itself — un visited  by  him  in  forty-six  long 
years — awoke  many  a  memory  and  recalled  many  a  line  of  Horace  most 
vividly  ;  but  the  presence  of  his  juniors  addicted  to  modern  systems  of  Latin 
pronunciation  admonished  him  of  the  risk  to  be  incurred  in  any  attempt  to 
give  vent  to  his  thoughts  in  the  tongue  of  Rome.  He  then  proceeded  to  speak 
of  the  fathers,  the  presbuteroi,  their  spirit  of  devotion  and  fidelity,  and  how 
they  conquered  the  difficulties  of  their  early  course,  and  closed  with  a  glowing 
tribute  of  respect  to  the  first  President  of  the  College. 

The  class  of  ’37  did  uot  have  a  representative  present.  In  announc¬ 
ing  that  no  graduate  member  of  the  class  of  ’38  was  now  living,  the 
chairman  said : 

It  was  customary  for  soldiers  of  old,  in  answering  to  the  roll  after  a 
battle,  when  a  companion’s  name  was  called  who  had  been  killed  in  the  fray 
for  some  one  to  step  forward  and  say,  “  Died  on  the  Field  and  he  would,  in 
honor  of  these  departed  scholars,  say,  in  answer  to  the  call  :  “  Died  on  the 
Field.” 


32 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


E.  F.  Stewart,  Esq.,  of  Easton,  was  called  upon  to  respond  for  the 
class  of  ’39,  but  not  being  present,  President  Cattell  read  a  letter 
from  another  member  of  the  class,  Hon.  William  A.  Porter,  LL.  D., 
of  Philadelphia,  which  we  give  in  full  at  the  close  of  this  day’s  pro¬ 
ceedings.  The  classes  of  ’38,  ’41  and  ’44  were  the  only  ones  not 
represented  in  the  attendance,  although  some  of  those  present  are 
not  recorded  in  the  following  list  of  speakers,  which  we  believe  to  be 
complete,  although,  the  report  of  their  remarks  is  not  as  full  as  we 
could  wish. 

The  class  of  ’40  was  represented  by  Professor  William  Henry 
Green,  of  Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  He  said : 

He  was  proud  to  be  a  member  of  the  class  of  ’40.  Ho  member  of  the  class 
lias  ever  brought  a  stain  upon  his  character.  There  were  eleven  graduates,  the 
largest  number  thus  far  in  the  history  of  Lafayette.  Seven  survive  and  four 
are  dead.  He  then  spoke  of  the  individual  members  of  the  class,  giving 
briefly  the  history  of  each  one.  He  further  said  :  The  class  was  a  unit ;  there 
never  was  any  dissension  in  it.  I  entered  during  the  middle  of  the  Freshman 
year,  and  only  one  joined  the  class  after  that  year.  This  class  has  given 
to  Lafavette  two  Trustees.  Col.  Win,  Dorris  and  Hon,  Augustus  G.  Richev, 
and  one  Professor,  Dr.  Porter. 

Rev.  Joseph  Stevens,  who  was  in  early  life  Professor  of  Mathe¬ 
matics  in  Oakland  College,  Mississippi,  and  now  for  the  last  thirty 
years  pastor  at  Jersey  Shore,  Pa.,  and  the  author  of  numerous  pub¬ 
lished  sermons  and  discussions,  rose  in  answer  to  the  call ’for  the 
class  of  ’42. 

He  referred  to  the  numerous  educational  and  missionary  labors  performed 
by  his  classmate,  Rev.  Darwin  Cook  ;  his  companionship  with  Athanasius  J. 
Collyrus,  the  native  Greek  whom  Jonas  King  sent  here  to  be  educated,  now 
teaching  in  Athens ;  and  his  intimacy  with  his  beloved  and  scholarly 
room-mate,  Bannatyne,  whose  memorial  is  carved  in  marble  in  the  walls  of 
the  F  Street  church  in  Washington,  where  his  earthly  labors  ended.  His 
class,  now  mostly  gone  to  their  rest,  had  had  a  full  share  in  the  honors  of  a 
useful  life  well  spent. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Thomas,  a  man  of  venerable  form  and  past 
seventy  years  of  age,  a  native  of  Wales,  replied  for  the  class  of ’43. 
Flis  son  was  an  honor-man  in  ’75,  and  a  daughter  is  a  missionary  in 
Japan. 

He  briefly  referred  to  the  creditable  careers  of  his  classmates,  all  of  whom 
were  professional  men,  the  majority  of  whom  attained  public  positions,  and 
commented  on  the  pleasant  relations  existing  between  the  students  and  the 
Faculty  during  his  college  days,  under  the  second  President,  Dr.  John  W. 
Yeomans. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE.  33 

Applause  greeted  Dr.  G.  C.  Heckman  as  he  rose  to  the  call  for 
’45.  He  said  : 

There  were  at  one  time  twenty-five  members  in  my  class,  but  only  nine  com¬ 
pleted  their  course  and  graduated,  of  whom  the  following  are  now  living,  viz. : 
Rev.  J.  E.  Miller,  of  Stillwater,  N.  J. ;  Dr.  W.  M.  Stephens,  of  Illinois;  Rev. 
George  D.  Stewart,  D.  D  ,  of  Burlington,  Iowa  ;  Robert  J.  Wright,  LL.  D.,  the 
political  economist  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  speaker.  Making  affectionate 
mention  of  those  who  were  deceased,  he  said  he  would  not  take  the  present 
limited  time  to  eulogize  them,  much  as  they  deserved  a  tribute  to  their  ,worth, 
but  would  rather  extend  the  eulogism  to  the  many — living  and  dead — who 
were  exponents  of  what  a  consecrated  spirit  in  the  members  of  a  college 
Faculty,  as  inspirers  and  leaders  of  youth  could  accomplish  in  so  giving  a  bent 
to  their  purposes  and  I  directing  their  ambition,  that  a  noble  career  could 
scarcely  fail  to  be  the  sequel.  lie  was  impressed  with  the  fact  that  Alma 
Mater’s  sons,  if  not  all  eminent  in  the  paths  of  fame,  were  diligent  and  zealous 
workers  in  the  brotherhood  of  alumni.  A  college  whose  history  was  thus  sus¬ 
tained  could  always  be  accounted  rich  in  its  records,  even  though  it  lacked  the 
princely  endowment  in  money  that  would  enable  it  to  extend  its  benefits  to  a 
larger  number  of  students. 

The  class  of  ’46  was  represented  by  John  Sandt,  M.  D.,  who 
excused  himself  from  protracted  remarks,  and  gave  brief  statistics 
of  his  class  that  numbered  nineteen  on  graduation. 

Rev.  Robert  B.  Foresman,  of  New  Jersey,  said  that  ’48  had 
graduated  twenty-four,  of  whom  thirteen  studied  theology,  and  the 
remainder  other  professions. 

He  made  special  mention  of  those  who  had  made  teaching  their  profession, 
among  whom  were  James  T.  Doran,  of  Berwyn,  their  valedictorian,  and  Wm. 
W.  Cottingham,  who  has  been  thirty  years  in  continuous  service  as  superin¬ 
tendent  of  schools,  a  term  of  office  unequaled  by  any  other  in  the  State. 

’51  was  represented  by  Rev.  Joseph  Beggs.  He  said : 

His  class  was  a  small  one,  but  the  proverb  multum,  in  parvo  has  been  mar¬ 
velously  proved  in  the  history  of  our  class.  I  am  not  ashamed  of  our  class, 
for  we  were  all  honor-men.  There  were  only  three  who  graduated,  and  then 
we  had  one  we  called  “  irregular.”  The  class  of  ’51  was  here  during  the  dark- 
•est  days  in  the  history  of  Lafayette  College.  He  spoke  at  length  of  the  trying 
times  that  threatened  the  College  and  how  from  that  darkness  she  had  come 
forth  prosperous  and  better  fitted  to  perform  the  great  task  of  educating  young 
men  for  their  life-work.  He  then  paid  glowing  tributes  to  some  of  the  profes¬ 
sors  of  that  time.  He  said  a  more  godly  man  than  President  Nassau  I  never 
knew.  A  greater  man  than  Dr.  Coffin  I  never  knew,  nor  do  I  expect  to  find. 
In  the  class  were  two  ministers  and  one  physician.  I  was  surprised  when  I 
went  into  the  Centennial  Exposition  at  Philadelphia  to  see  some  excellent 
mechanism  on  which  our  irregular  man  had  received  a  prize,  and  I  thought 
our  irregular  was  coming  out  at  last. 

3 


34 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


The  chairman  announced  the  class  of  ’52,  and  called  upon  Rev.  D. 
M.  James,  of  Bath,  to  respond. 

He  spoke  briefly  of  his  classmates,  of  their  pursuits  and  character.  He  said, 
thirty-six  years  have  passed  since  I  came  to  Easton.  When  I  think  of  all  the 
men  of  this  town,  the  teachers,  preachers  and  lawyers,  and  learn  that  all  these 
with  whom  I  was  acquainted  have  passed  away,  I  begin  to  think  how  time  has 
flown.  He  gave  a  special  exhortation  to  young  men  to  enter  the  ministry, 
claiming  that  it  was  the  noblest  of  professions,  and  far  from  scanty  in  either 
the  nature  or  the  number  of  its  rewards.  This  College  grew  out  of  a  pastor’s 
desire  to  have  young  men  equipped  for  this  great  work.  He  stated  that  he 
had  now  preached  for  thirteen  years  on  the  ground  where  David  Brainerd 
labored  among  the  Indians. 

As  the  hour  for  the  close  of  the  afternoon  session  drew  near,  Prof. 
Selden  J.  Coffin,  the  Secretary  of  the  Alumni  Association,  arose 
and  requested  leave  to  present  to  the  assemblage  a  number  of  letters, 
which  were  ordered  to  be  recorded  as  a  part  of  the  proceedings. 
These  consisted  of  messages  of  cordial  greeting  from  Hon.  N.  B. 
Smithers,  ’36,  of  Dover,  Del.,  ex-member  of  Congress ;  Hon.  John 
W.  Garrett,  ’37,  President  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad ; 
Rev.  Dr.  Brakeley,  ’39 ;  Rev.  P.  Camp,  ’41 ;  Rev.  Geo.  D.  Stewart, 
D.  D.,  ’45,  of  Iowa ;  Hon.  Henry  Green,  LL.  D.,’46,  of  the  Penn¬ 
sylvania  Supreme  Court;  Rev.  Charles  J.  Jones,  D.  D.,  ’46;  Rev. 
P.  AY.  Melick,  ’49,  North  Carolina;  Rev.  Dr.  Davis,  ’52;  Hon.  H. 
G.  Fisher,  member  of  Congress,  ’55 ;  Jesse  H.  Crane,  ’57,  Topeka, 
Kansas;  Wm.  S.  Everett,  ’57,  Chicago;  James  A.  Laughlin,  ’57, 
Cincinnati ;  Hon.  S.  P.  Galt,  ’60,  St.  Louis ;  Rev.  John  B.  Grier, 
’64,  Danville,  Pa. ;  Rev.  James  Roberts,  ’65,  Coatesville,  Pa. ;  F. 
Doremus,  ’70,  Galveston,  Texas ;  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Filson,  ’67,  Jefferson 
County,  Pa.,  and  James  Gayley,  ’76,  of  St.  Louis. 

A  profound  sensation  was  produced  when  he  added  to  the  above 
a  cordial  and  tender  letter  of  greeting  from  a  former  member  of  the 
Faculty,  Prof.  Robert  Cunningham,  eighty-two  years  of  age,  written 
from  Stranrear  Castle,  Scotland,  previously  the  home  of  the  famous, 
arctic  explorer,  Parry;  also  letters  from  two  of  the  three  surviving 
members  of  the  original  Faculty  of  Lafayette,  viz.,  Charles  F. 
McCay,  LL.  D.,  now  of  Baltimore,  ex-President  of  Georgia  State 
University,  and  the  eminent  Surgeon,  Samuel  D.  Gross,  LL.  D., 
D.  C.  L.  (Oxford).  He  presented,  also,  a  letter  from  the  poet,  Mrs. 
Margaret  J.  Preston,  of  Lexington,  Va.,  daughter  of  Dr.  Geo.  Jun- 
kin,  which  was  greeted  with  loud  applause.  He  also  laid  before  the 
meeting  the  following 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


35 


NECROLOGICAL  ROLL. 

\ 

The  officers  and  alumni  of  the  College,  whose  deaths  are  known 
to  have  occurred  during  the  past  twelve  months,  number  twenty- 
three.  Among  them  are  not  a  few  whose  names  will  be  read  with 
tears,  because  of  a  career  altogether  too  brief  to  fulfill  the  hopes 
and  ardent  expectations  of  friends  who  admired  them  for  their 
virtues  and  promise  of  extended  usefulness.  The  list  is  headed  by 
three  honored  men,  who  were  remarkable  for  their  clearness  of 
intellect,  power  of  will  and  vigor  of  execution,  displayed  for  years 
after  they  had  passed  fourscore : 

Trustees. — Major-General  Robert  Patterson,  the  last  survivor  of  the  original 
board  of  trustees,  nominated  in  the  charter  granted  to  the  College  in  1826,  and 
for  some  years  prior  to  liis  death  the  president  of  the  board,  died  in  Philadel¬ 
phia,  August  7th,  1881,  aged  89  years. 

David  Thomas,  Esq.,  died  June  20th,  1882,  aged  87  years. 

The  following  tribute  was  paid  to  his  memory  by  President  Cattell 
at  chapel  prayers,  on  Friday,  June  23d : 

It  is  fitting  that  I  should  officially  and  from  this  sacred  desk  refer  to  the 
death  of  Mr,  David  Thomas,  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  College,  who  will  be 
buried  to-day  from  his  late  residence  in  Catasauqua. 

The  daily  papers  have  given  you  the  particulars  of  his  long,  useful  and 
honored  life.  I  need  not  dwell  upon  them,  nor  will  I  speak  of  my  own  personal 
loss  in  the  death  of  this  friend,  revered  and  beloved  by  me  for  many  years. 

But  I  desire  to  point  you  to  his  manly  Christian  life  as  one  that  every 
young  man  should  study,  that  he  may  make  his  own  the  principles  that 
governed  Mr.  Thomas,  and  which  moulded  his  character  to  such  high  excel¬ 
lence  and  made  his  career  one  of  such  almost  unexampled  success.  Born  in 
humble  circumstances  he  won  riches  and  distinction.  But  it  is  not  this  that 
is  most  worthy  of  your  notice,  but  the  fact  that  he  was  honored  and  beloved 
wherever  he  was  known,  and  most  of  all  where  he  was  best  known. 

He  lived  to  be  nearly  ninety  years  old,  and  it  seems  to  me  never  was  an  old 
age  more  beautiful.  Until  within  the  last  few  years  he  was  active  in  the  man¬ 
agement  of  the  many  and  important  business  enterprises  in  which  he  was  for 
so  long  a  time  engaged,  and  when  finally  he  gave  up  many  of  these  the  remain¬ 
der  of  his  life  was  passed  amid  the  devoted  attentions  of  his  children  and  theif 
children,  and  the  love  and  honor  of  the  entire  community,  where  he  was  always 
spoken  of  as  “  Father  Thomas.”  I  could  not  ask  of  God  anything  better  for 
you,  my  yourtg  friends,  than  that  you  should  live  such  a  life  as  he  lived  and 
that  your  end  should  be  like  his. 

In  his  death  the  College  has  sustained  another  great  loss.  lie  was  one  of  its 
most  active  and  devoted  friends,  one  of  its  wisest  counselors  and  one  of  its 
most  liberal  benefactors.  His  beautiful  memory,  precious  to  his  family,  hon¬ 
ored  by  the  Church  and  by  the  world,  will  ever  be  cherished  in  the  hearts  of 
all  the  alumni  and  friends  of  Lafayette. 


36 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


Faculty. — Rev.  Lyman  Coleman,  D.  D.,  Professor  of  Latin  and  Biblical 
Geography,  and  founder  of  Biblical  prizes,  died  March  lGth,  aged  eighty-five. 
(See  under  the  head  of  Sunday’s  proceedings — memorial  sermon,  preached  by 
his  friend,  Rev.  A.  H.  Kellogg.) 

Alumni. — Class  of ’37 — William  C.  Logan,  died  in  Philadelphia,  May  24th, 
aged  sixty-eight.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Northampton  County  in 
1839,  and  spent  most  of  his  life  in  Bedford.  For  the  last  ten  years  an  active 
citizen  of  Federalsburg,  Md. 

Class  of ’40 — Win.  E.  Barber,  a  leading  member  of  the  Chester  County  Bar, 
died  April  13th,  at  West  Chester,  lie  filled  numerous  offices  in  the  Church 
and  community,  and  was  the  author  of  the  essay  on  “  Political  Organization  ” 
that  obtained  the  first  prize  of  $500  offered  by  the  Union  League  of  Philadel¬ 
phia,  in  1868. 

Class  of ’41 — Hon.  John  Cresswell,  lawyer,  died  at  Hollidaysburg,  January 
29th,  aged  sixty-three.  While  he  was  Speaker  of  the  Pennsylvania  Senate,  in 
1859,  he  was  at  one  time  supposed  to  have  succeeded  to  the  governorship, 
because  of  the  reported  fatal  termination  of  the  severe  illness  of  Governor 
Packer,  which  was  generally  telegraphed  through  the  State.  For  some  years 
he  was  in  Washington  City,  law  partner  of  Mr.  Puleston,  afterward  a  member 
of  the  British  Parliament. 

Class  of  ’44 — Abraham  B.  Weller,  a  teacher  and  farmer,  died  in  Easton, 
March  13th,  aged  fifty-two  years. 

Class  of  ’46 — Rev.  Austin  Craig,  D.  D.,  a  leading  divine  of  the  Christian 
denomination,  a  preacher  of  great  power,  and  successively  president  of  Antioch 
College,  lecturer  in  the  Meadville  Theological  School,  and  for  the  last  thirteen 
years  of  his  life  president  of  the  Biblical  Institute,  Stanfordville,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  died  suddenly,  August  27th,  aged  fifty-seven. — Lieutenant-Colonel  Nathaniel 
Michler,  U.  S.  A.,  during  the  war  chief  engineer  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  for  thirty -three  years  in  continuous  military  service,  chiefly  engineering; 
died  at  Saratoga,  July  18th,  aged  fifty-four. 

Class  of ’57 — George  Gilbert  Gibons,  lawyer,  died  in  Chicago,  Ill.,  December 
10th,  aged  forty-seven. 

Class  of  ’62 — Edwin  Shalter,  attorney  at  law  and  city  solicitor  of  Reading, 
Pa.,  died  at  Tuckerton,  March  8tli,  aged  forty-two. 

Class  of ’63 — Stephen  Y.  B.  Kachline,  lawyer  and  candidate  for  Congress  in 
1874,  died  on  Mount  Jefferteon,  Easton,  January  24th,  aged  forty-five. 

Class  of ’65 — Clarence  D.  Biddle,  in  coal  and  iron  business,  died  at  Dan¬ 
ville,  August  1st,  aged  thirty- six. 

Class  of ’66 — Robert  M.  Bertolet,  M.  D.,  Surgeon  United  States  Army,  died 
at  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  May  10th,  aged  thirty-five. 

Class  of  ’68 — Abram  P.  Garber,  M.  D.,  died  August  25th,  at  Renova,  Pa., 
aged  forty- three  ;  discoverer  of  the  plant  Garberia  fruticosa,  and  a  large  con¬ 
tributor  of  botanical  specimens  to  Lafayette  and  to  the  Philadelphia  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences. 

Class  of ’69 — William  F.  Patton,  a  prominent  lawyer  in  Franklin  County, 
died  at  Greencastle,  May  12th,  aged  thirty -five. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE.  37 

Class  of ’70 — Seth  P.  Dalton,  merchant  of  Phillipsburg,  N.  J.,  died  in  Eas¬ 
ton,  February  16th,  aged  twenty-eight. 

Class  of ’72 — Benjamin  Chambers,  lawyer  and  inventor,  died  at  Chaipbers- 
burg,  October  30th,  aged  twenty-four. 

Class  of  78 — William  P.  Taylor  met  with  a  painful  death  by  a  boiler  explo¬ 
sion,  while  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  as  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue,  Dan¬ 
ville,  Pa.,  March,  1882. 

Class  of  79 — William  J.  Jones,  lawyer,  died  in  Easton,  September  29th,  aged 
twenty-five  years.  Edward  P.  Micke,  died  in  Easton,  December  5th,  aged 
twenty-three  years. 

Class  of  ’82 — C.  E.  Ludington,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  died  at  Seneca  Lake,  April 
11  tli,  aged  twenty-four  years. 

Class  of  ’84 — James  McGfalliard,  a  member  of  the  Sophomore  Class,  a 
young  man  of  talent,  died  at  Bridgeton,  N.  J.,  October  8th,  1881. 

EVENING  SESSION. 

About  8  p  m.  a  large  audience  again  assembled  in  the  audi¬ 
torium. 

The  class  of  ’53  was  first  called  and  T.  G.  Gayley,  of  Philadelphia, 
said  one  of  their  number  died  in  the  war.  The  history  of  each  class¬ 
mate  was  briefly  given.  At  that  time  there  were  only  thirty  students 
on  the  roll  of  Lafayette  College ! 

The  chairman  then  varied  the  proceedings  by  calling  upon  some 
of  the  younger  alumni. 

Rev.  John  J.  Pomeroy,  of  Rahway,  N.  J.,  responded  for  the  Quar¬ 
ter  Century  Class  of  ’57,  which  was  largely  represented,  seven  of 
those  present  being  ministers. 

He  said  there  were  thirty-seven  in  his  class,  twenty-seven  graduated,  four 
are  dead,  twelve  have  become  ministers  and  the  rest  are  all  busy  to-day  in 
professional  life.  After  referring  to  what  had  been  accomplished  by  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  class,  he  gave  way  to  Rev.  W.  W.  McKinney,  of  the  same  class, 
who  added  that  all  who  had  sought  the  Bachelor’s  Degree  had  ceased  the 
bachelor’s  life,  and  were  married,  and  all  had  children. 

For  ’55  Hon.  Robert  P.  Allen,  of  Williamsport,  a  trustee  of  the 
College,  said : 

We  do  heartily  rejoice  to  see  the  improvements  made  here.  Much  has 
been  done  for  the  advantage  of  the  students  since  we  attended  college.  In 
those  days  we  had  not  the  apparatus,  the  libraries,  the  museum,  or  even  the 
curriculum  of  to-day.  But  thanks  to  our  ardent  Professors,  we  received  an 
education  that  has  served  us  well.  He  then  showed  that  Lafayette  had  made 
up  all  these  deficiencies,  and  now  stands  foremost  in  the  State.  The  appli¬ 
ances  here  equal  those  of  the  New  England  institutions,  and  all  of  the  alumni 
heartily  rejoiced  in  her  prosperity,  and  wished  her  continued  and  increasing 


38 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


success,  and,  lie  added,  we  hope  to  aid  lier.  Our  class  were  all  Pennsylva¬ 
nians.  Were  we  here  for  the  purpose  of  story-telling,  I  should  love  to  nar¬ 
rate  the  Munchausen  career  of  my  classmate,  who  was  last  on  our  roll,  but 
most  under  our  eye ;  a  man  who  has  been  in  all  the  professions,  but  that  of 
the  ministry,  and  dwelt  in  every  nation  of  the  globe,  verily  a  bird  of  passage 
who  lights  in  every  wood.  I  am  compelled  to  state  that  three  of  our  cla-s  have 
been  overtaken  by  the  deplorable  fate  of  being  assigned  seats  in  the  State 
Senate  or  in  Congress. 

When  Prof.  Coffin  was  called  upon  for  the  class  of  ’58,  he  made 
an  assignment  of  his  time  to  the  Hon.  John  I.  Blair,  of  Blairstown, 
New  Jersey,  who  had  just  entered  the  hall.  When  this  liberal 
donor  to  the  College  funds  was  recognized,  he  was  greeted  with  deafen¬ 
ing  applause.  This  was  the  first  time  he  had  been  on  College  Hill 
since  his  last  gift,  by  which  the  chair  of  the  President  had  been  per¬ 
manently  endowed  in  the  sum  of  $40,000.  Preferring  to  be  a  listener, 
he  made  but  a  brief  speech,  in  his  usual  felicitous  manner. 

’61  was  represented  by  F.  A.  R.  Baldwin,  Esq.,  of  Allentown. 

He  said  his  class  numbered  thirty  in  all,  and  stood  high  in  its  record  for 
scholarship.  Graduating  when  the  cloud  of  war  was  hanging  over  our  nation, 
no  class  furnished  as  many  men  for  the  service  of  the  country.  Of  physicians 
we  have  none  in  our  number,  but  we  will  do  what  we  can  to  keep  our  Alma 
Mater  in  health  and  vigor. 

For  ’72  Rev.  John  Fox,  of  Baltimore,  pastor-elect  of  the  North 
Church,  Allegheny  City,  said: 

That,  although  representing  a  class  of  seventy  members,  they  have  not  been 
out  of  college  a  sufficient  time  to  present  a  history.  Our  class,  he  added,  was 
rather  jovial,  enjoying  plenty  of  mirth  and  having  good  times  generally.  This 
afternoon  the  very  heartiest  congratulations  were  extended  to  Alma  Mater  in 
our  class  reunion.  We  feel  in  these  reunions  a  force  that  rejuvenates  us;  and 
we  should  all  have  more  college  patriotism.  We  should  be  more  zealous  in 
our  endeavors  to  aid  her,  for  she  has  done  noble  work  in  every  department. 
He  then  spoke  of  the  financial  condition  of  the  College,  referring  to  the  printed 
tables  accompanying  the  President’s  annual  reports,  and  showing  the  wonder¬ 
ful  growth  of  the  College  during  the  present  administration,  notwithstanding 
the  exceptionally  hard  times  through  which  the  country  had  passed.  It  is  our 
duty  to  do  more  than  we  have  ever  yet  attempted  for  our  Alma  Mater,  and  I 
hope  the  day  will  come  when  every  one  will  esteem  it  an  honor  and  a  privi¬ 
lege  to  contribute  to  her  resources.  The  crowning  glory  of  Lafayette  is  her 
able  and  noble  Faculty.  I  hope  the  work  will  be  revived  in  our  hearts,  and 
that  when  we  come  to  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  our  class,  we  shall  be  “  hale 
and  hearty  yet.” 

Rev.  Charles  Wood  responded  for  ’46. 

He  said  he  was  not  posted  in  the  history  of  his  classmates,  but  wished  a  more 
close  and  definite  organization  of  the  alumni  might  be  effected,  so  that  they 
could  help  the  noble  workers  in  the  College,  the  Faculty  and  the  Trustees. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


39 


The  chairman,  Mr.  Trippe,  here  said  that  the  Lafayette  Alumni 
truly  had  their  hearts  in  her  work.  He  spoke  earnestly  and  forcibly 
of  the  noble  work  done  toward  the  endowment  of  the  College.  His 
eloquent  remarks,  to  which  we  cannot  attempt  to  do  justice,  were 
received  with  loud  applause. 

For  ’62  Reuben  Haines,  Esq.,  of  Elkton,  Md.,  responded.  He 
said : 

There  were  nineteen  graduates  in  our  class.  We  had  the  oldest  man  of  the 
College,  the  youngest,  the  handsomest,  the  homeliest,  the  wisest  and  I  think  the 
most  stupid.  He  gave  some  reminiscences  of  his  first  meeting  with  the  great 
and  noble  scholar,  Dr.  J.  H.  Coffin,  and  others  of  the  Faculty.  After  his 
examination  by  Prof.  March,  he  asked  the  Professor  some  questions,  but  the 
Doctor  gently  replied  that  he  was  not  on  examination  !  He  gave  an  amusing 
account  of  his  own  appearance  upon  the  Commencement  stage  upon  his  gradu¬ 
ation.  His  was  the  last  class  that  received  their  diplomas  from  President 
McPhail,  to  whom  he  paid  a  warm  and  well-deserved  tribute. 

Rev.  M.  L.  Cook,  of  Missoula,  Montana,  spoke  of  the  class  of ’73. 

Forty-six  years  ago,  said  he,  a  sturdy  young  man,  who  was  not  afraid  of  toil 
came  over  the  mountains  from  Bradford  County  to  Easton,  on  foot,  to  seek  an 
education.  Here  he  studied  and  worked,  and  under  the  manual  labor  system 
of  that  time  gained  the  most  of  his  support  by  the  labor  of  his  own  hands.  For 
nearly  forty  years  he  has  been  an  untiring  pastor  of  a  widely  extended  charge 
in  the  mountains  of  Pennsylvania,  and  has  sent  to  this  College  more  than  thirty 
boys  who  were  prepared  for  entrance  in  his  own  study  ;  among  them  his  old¬ 
est  son,  who  now  would  thus  give  expression  to  his  aged  father’s  devotion  to 
Alma  Mater.  Forty-four  years  ago  came  from  the  same  vicinity  another, 
whose  voice  has  been  heard  here  to-day  (referring  to  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Thomas),  who,  in  like  manner,  made  his  yearly  journey  on  foot  between  the 
college  and  the  Bradford  hills;  and  a  useful  career,  too,  has  been  his.  His 
oldest  son,  the  valedictorian  of ’75,  sits  by  me.  One  daughter  he  has  given  to  . 
the  missionary  work  in  Japan ;  another  he  gave  to  me  to  cheer  my  distant 
home  three  thousand  miles  away — a  home  where  Alma  Mater  is  thought  of 
daily,  as  we  look  upon  our  first-born  son  and  count  the  years  until  he,  too, 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  grandfathers,  shall  set  out  on  his  longer  jour¬ 
ney  over  all  the  mountains  that  lie  between,  to  find  the  family  Alma  Mater, 
than  which  I  want  no  better  destination. 

This  brought  out  the  class  of  ’75  in  the  person  of  Rev.  W.  E. 
Thomas,,  just  alluded  to  by  the  preceding  speaker. 

Thirty-three  men  had  received  diplomas  in  his  class.  He  spoke  briefly  of 
what  they  had  achieved  since  graduation,  and  of  the  joy  he  and  his  classmates 
felt  at  this  grand  reunion  of  the  sons  of  Lafayette.  He  was  proud  of  the  Col¬ 
lege.  In  Ohio,  where  lie  lived,  there  was  no  college  equal  to  it — it  was  an 
inspiration  for  him  to  stand  once  more  among  these  eminent  scholars  and 
teachers,  and  to  look  around  upon  these  magnificent  buildings  and  grounds 
and  upon  the  unrivaled  scenery. 


40 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


’81  was  represented  by  Mr.  Thomas  G.  Clark,  of  Union  Theologi¬ 
cal  Seminary,  who  in  a  few  well-chosen  words  pledged  his  class  to 
work  for  the  College  they  all  loved  so  well. 

When  the  class  of  ’71  was  called  there  were  repeated  calls  for 
Prof.  I).  B.  King,  who  arose  and  told  the  audience  that  Mr.  F.  W. 
Edgar  would  respond. 

Mr.  Edgar  gave  interesting  reminiscences  of  his  class.  They  had  contribu¬ 
ted  to  Alma  Mater  one  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  three  members 
of  the  Faculty;  and  the  older  members  of  the  class  had  occupied  positions  of 
influence  and  usefulness  ;  and  paid  a  compliment  to  Prof.  King’s  recently  pub¬ 
lished  articles  upon  the  Irish  question. 

Rev.  W.  A.  Jenks  spoke  for  the  class  of  ’55. 

He  referred  to  the  great  gathering  of  the  sons  of  the  College  to-day  ;  and 
though  many  of  them  are  old  in  years  all  are  young  in  heart  and  full  of  life 
and  joy,  and  all  are  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  mother  that  nurtured 
them.  He  emphasized  the  great  work  Lafayette  had  accomplished  in  training 
ministers  of  the  gospel. 

At  this  point  of  the  meeting,  as  the  hour  was  late,  on  the  motion 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Heckman,  the  further  call  for  class  representatives  was 
discontinued,  and  the 


ALUMNI  ASSOCIATION 

was  convened,  Hon.  A.  C.  Trippe  remaining  in  the  chair.  A  com¬ 
mittee  of  three  was  appointed  to  nominate  a  list  of  officers,  viz. : 
Rev.  J.  J.  Pomeroy,  ’57 ;  Rev.  W.  A.  Jenks,  ’55,  and  S.  J. 
Coffin,  ’58. 

When  this  committee  retired,  the  chairman  made  a  stirring  address 

on  the  duty  of  an  alumnus  to  his  Alma  Mater. 

% 

•  Me  should  awake  and  bring  our  offerings  to  the  institution  that  nourished 
us.  There  is  now  a  great  demand  for  Christian  education.  America  calls 
upon  her  favorite  colleges  to  teach  their  young  men  better  philosophy,  to 
point  out  the  source  of  more  enduring  happiness  and  make  them  abler  men. 
He  dwelt  with  great  earnestness  upon  the  importance  of  the  study  of  the  Bible 
in  our  colleges  and  rejoiced  that  this  was  still  the  fact  at  Lafayette  as  it  was  in 
his  day  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  The  Faculty  should  be  the  pole  of  the 
battery,  and  we,  the  alumni,  the  wires  distributing  the  strength  and  influence 
of  the  battery  over  all  the  land.  Though  classes  fall  yet  Alma  Mater  lives. 
She  is  like  a  live  oak  on  the  mountains  which  sends  its  roots  down  deeper  and 
deeper  gathering  nourishment  and  strength  from  the  soil,  and  light  from  the 
skies. 

This  address  was  frequently  interrupted  by  loud  applause. 

The  committee  reported  the  following  nominations  of  officers  of 
the  Alumni  Association  for  the  ensuing  year :  President,  Rev.  G.  L. 
Shearer,  ’57,  New  York ;  Vice-President,  J.  C.  Mackenzie,  ’78, 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


41 


Wilkesbarre;  Treasurer,  David  IV.  Kevin,  ’75,  Easton;  Secretary, 
Prof.  S.  J.  Coffin,  ’58,  Easton,  with  an  Executive  Committee  of  all 
the  resident  alumni  (the  last  recommendation  made  favoring  a  lim¬ 
ited  number),  when  on  motion  of  the  Hon.  R.  Snodgrass,  ’57,  the 
Executive  Committee  was  limited  to  five  in  number,  who  were  sug¬ 
gested  by  the  house  as  follows :  Judge  W.  S.  Kirkpatrick,  ’63,  chair¬ 
man  ;  W.  Gibson  Field,  ’62;  Francis  W.  Edgar,  ’71;  Hon.  R. 
Snodgrass,  ’57  ;  Edward  F.  Stewart,  ’39.  To  which  the  four  officers 
above  were  added. 

After  a  spirited  discussion  as  to  the  form  that  the  next  gathering 
of  the  alumni  should  take,  and  whether  a  supper  or  other  collation 
should  be  prepared,  the  meeting  closed. 

The  following  is  the  letter  of  Hon.  W.  A.  Porter,  of  ’39,  referred 
to  above.  It  will  be  read  with  great  interest  by  all  the  alumni,  who 
will  ever  hold  in  honor  these  fathers  of  the  College  of  whom  it 
speaks : 

Philadelphia,  June  20th,  1882. 

Rev.  William  C.  Cattell,  IJ.  D.,  President  of  Lafayette  College : 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  mentioned  to  you  that  I  expect  to  sail  for  Europe  on 
the  28th  inst.,  and  that  I  shall,  therefore,  be  unable  to  attend  the  semi-centen¬ 
nial  celebration  of  the  College.  On  this  occasion  much  will  doubtless  be 
said,  and  much  ought  to  be  said,  of  the  men  who  have  labored  within  its 
walls  to  produce  the  great  results  which  have  come  about.  If  I  were  able  to 
attend,  I  would  say  something  in  regard  to  a  few  of  the  men  who  helped  to 
originate  it,  and  who  did  their  work,  not  so  much  in  the  College  as  outside 
of  it,  in  the  community  in  which  they  lived.  I  have  often  thought  of  the 
little  meeting  which  took  place  at  White’s  Hotel  on  the  27tli  of  December, 
1824,  and  wondered  whether,  but  for  that  meeting,  any  college  would  ever 
have  existed  at  Easton.  It  was  convened  by  means  of  a  circular  written  by 
James  M.  Porter.  Its  chairman  was  Thomas  McKeen.  The  committee 
appointed  to  prepare  a  memorial  to  the  Legislature  for  a  charter  of  incorpo¬ 
ration  were  James  M.  Porter,  Joel  Jones  and  Jacob  Wagener.  I  would  speak 
of  these  gentlemen  in  this  order. 

1.  Mr.  Porter  entered  on  his  profession  as  a  lawyer,  equipped  with  all  the 
learning  appropriate  to  it;  and  during  his  entire  life  he  was  a  diligent  student 
of  the  law.  His  briefs  showed  the  most  elaborate  preparation  in  regard  to 
dates,  amounts,  distances,  names  of  parties  and  witnesses  and  especially  of  the 
decided  cases.  He  had  great  faith  in  the  close  investigation  of  the  facts  of 
every  case  in  which  he  was  employed,  and  where  the  controversy  related  to 
any  place  or  particular  tract  of  land,  he  never  failed  to  visit  it  in  person.  He 
seemed  to  trust  to  nothing  but  preparation.  When,  however,  a  new  point  of 
fact  or  law  arose  during  a  trial,  he  appeared  to  be  more  at  home  than  ever  • 
and  here  his  quickness  of  perception  gave  him  the  greatest  advantage.  It  was 
always  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  he  was  more  able  in  the  discussion  of  a  ques¬ 
tion  of  law  before  the  court  or  a  question  of  fact  before  the  jury.  He  certainly 
was  one  of  the  ablest  advocates  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  ever  produced.  When 


42 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


lie  appeared  in  the  Supreme  Court,  his  arguments  commanded  marked  atten¬ 
tion,  and  lie  took  rank  there  with  the  ablest  men  of  his  day.  It  seemed  to  be 
impossible  even  for  a  court  to  put  him  down  or  to  disconcert  him,  and  such 
was  his  humor  and  skill  in  repartee  that  the  judge  who  entered  into  a  con¬ 
troversy  with  him  had  seldom  much  to  boast  of  when  the  contest  ended. 
When  he  entered  the  cabinet  of  President  Tyler  as  Secretary  of  War,  he 
became  one  of  the  associates  of  Mr.  Webster.  A  conversation  which  I  once 
had  with  that  gentleman  showed  me  the  high  appreciation  which  he  had 
formed  of  his  colleague. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  give  any  adequate  idea  of  all  Mr.  Porter  did  for 
Lafayette  College.  He  served  twenty-five  years  as  President  of  its  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  during  all  this  time  his  pen  was  diligently  employed  in  enlist¬ 
ing  public  interest  in  its  behalf.  He  gave  to  it  largely  of  his  own  means : 
but  this  cost  him  little  effort,  for  no  man  ever  had  a  more  supreme  contempt 
for  the  acquisition  of  money.  He  went  further  and  encouraged  others  to  give, 
who  had  larger  means.  Pie  lectured,  without  charge,  as  professor  of  jurispru¬ 
dence,  and  his  reputation  as  a  jurist  attracted  students  from  a  distance.  It  is 
to  be  hoped  the  time  will  never  come  when  such  unremitting  efforts  on 
behalf  of  the  College,  commenced  in  its  very  infancy  and  continued  through 
its  darkest  days,  shall  cease  to  be  remembered  by  those  who  rejoice  in  its  final 
success. 

2.  Colonel  Thomas  McKeen,  then  one  of  the  first  citizens  of  Easton,  was 
properly  selected  to  preside  at  the  meeting  at  White’s  Hotel.  He  became  the 
first  treasurer  of  the  College,  and  acted  as  such  for  many  years,  keeping  its 
books  and  accounts  with  a  regularity  and  accuracy  in  which  few  men  could 
have  excelled  him.  He  gave  to  it  liberally  of  his  means  and  frequently  made 
advances  to  help  it  in  its  extreme  needs.  He  was  a  man  of  dignified  appear¬ 
ance,  and  kind,  gentle  and  winning  in  his  manners.  Where  his  judgment 
was  asked,  he  gave  it  promptly  and  decidedly,  and  in  every  matter  of  business 
his  conclusions  were  eminently  sound.  He  accumulated  property  that  he 
might  do  good  ;  and  many  of  the  men  who  have  contributed  to  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  Easton  and  its  institutions,  received  from  him  their  first  aid.  His 
home  was  the  seat  of  generous  hospitality,  and  strangers  who  came  to  see  the 
College  or  introduce  their  sons,  seldom  failed  to  become  his  guests.  It  was 
the  Church,  however,  that  had  the  first  place  in  his  thoughts.  For  two-thirds 
of  a  century  lie  was  a  consistent  member  of  it,  and,  for  the  larger  part  of  that 
time,  an  efficient  ruling  elder.  He  died  in  profound  faith  in  its  teachings, 
and  in  that  peace  which  the  world  cannot  give  and  cannot  take  away.  When¬ 
ever  I  wish  to  think  of  one  of  the  finest  models  of  an  upright  citizen  and 
Christian  gentleman  I  turn,  naturally,  to  Colonel  McKeen. 

3.  Joel  Jones  was  a  man  of  large  legal  knowledge.  When  appointed  with 
Mr.  Kawle  and  Mr.  Wharton  to  revise  the  civil  code  of  the  State,  those  gen¬ 
tlemen  expressed  to  their  friends  surprise  that  a  man  of  so  little  prominence 
should  have  made  such  acquisitions  in  the  law — little  knowing  how  many 
wearisome  years  he  had  spent  in  that  small  office  in  the  northwestern  corner 
of  your  public  square  in  studying  the  principles  of  jurisprudence.  He  did 
good  service  to  the  State  as  one  of  the  revisers  of  our  code,  and  some  of  the 
reports  of  the  commissioners,  which  make  the  most  important  suggestions, 
were  written  by  him.  Some  parts  of  the  new  system  were  remodeled  and 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


43 


rewritten  exclusively  by  him,  as,  for  example,  the  disposition  of  the  estates  of 
intestates,  and  having  been  passed  by  the  Legislature  without  the  change  of  a 
word,  they  have  scarcely  been  touched  down  to  the  present  day.  He  was 
subsequently  appointed  an  associate  judge  and  then  president  judge  of  the 
District  Court  of  Philadelphia,  and  his  memory  is  yet  cherished  by  the  bar  of 
that  city  and  the  community,  who  remember  the  firm,  impartial  and  dignified 
but  kindly  manner  in  which  the  law  was  administered  by  him  as  a  judicial 
magistrate.  Girard  College  never  did  a  better  thing  than  when  it  made  him 
its  first  president,  and  the  career  of  usefulness  on  which  that  institution 
entered  is  largely  due  to  the  wise  manner  in  which  he  interpreted  the  will  of 
Mr.  Girard  and  the  legal  provisions  enacted  concerning  it.  In  a  few  years 
he  seemed  to  have  found  the  office  of  president  irksome,  and  returned  to  his 
favorite  pursuit  of  studying  and  practicing  the  law.  Immediately  thereupon 
he  was  nominated  as  a  candidate  for  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and 
was  elected  by  a  large  popular  vote.  On  retiring  from  this  office  he  returned 
again  to  the  law,  and  the  force  of  his  speech  and  his  pen  was  frequently  felt 
in  our  courts.  He  also  wrote  for  the  magazines  of  the  day  on  literary,  phil¬ 
osophic  and  religious  subjects.  The  volume  published  after  his  death,  which 
he  had  modestly  entitled  “  Notes  on  Scripture/’  will  long  attest  the  thought 
which  he  gave  to  the  profoundest  themes  with  which  the  human  mind  can 
become  conversant. 

4.  Jacob  Wagener  was  in  early  life  a  merchant.  He  had  not  the  advantage 
of  early  collegiate  training.  From  boyhood  he  devoted  a  part  of  his  time  to 
the  study  of  English  literature,  and  his  editions  of  the  works  of  the  best 
authors  in  prose  and  in  poetry,  which  remain  in  possession  of  his  descend¬ 
ants,  show  how  diligently  and  critically  he  studied  these  works.  As  soon  as 
he  had  acquired  in  his  business  a  suitable  competency,  he  gave  up  business 
and  applied  himself  with  renewed  vigor  to  literature  and  to  science.  He 
devoted  much  time  to  the  study  of  mineralogy,  and  read  the  works  of  the 
best  authors  on  that  subject.  He  made  a  collection  of  the  minerals,  first  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  then  of  the  other  States.  He  entered  into  correspondence 
with  the  representatives  of  our  government  abroad,  and  by  their  aid  and  the 
expenditure  of  considerable  sums  of  money,  he  enriched  his  collection  from 
foreign  countries.  His  cabinet  is  nowin  possession  of  the  College.  In  botany 
he  made  some  progress,  but  the  specimens  which  he  collected  have  not  been 
preserved.  He  was  a  quiet,  refined  and  polished  gentleman,  conscientious  in 
every  act,  and  he  sympathized  heartily  in  the  wants  and  sorrows  of  others. 
He  was  one  of  the  small  number  who  met  in  December,  1824,  at  the  hotel  of 
Mr.  White,  and  took  part  as  one  of  the  committee  appointed  by  the  chairman 
to  draft  a  memorial  to  the  Legislature  for  a  charter.  His  fine,  critical  powers 
aided  the  committee  in  their  work,  and  he  employed  his  pen  in  correspond¬ 
ence  with  the  members  of  the  Legislature  who  were  to  act  on  the  proposed 
charter.  He  became  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  trustees  and  continued 
to  act  as  such,  until  his  health  began  to  decline.  When  no  longer  physically 
able  to  serve  in  the  board,  his  good  wishes  followed  those  who  were  endeavor¬ 
ing  to  put  the  institution  on  the  foundation  which  it  has  since  reached. 

In  conclusion,  my  dear  Doctor,  I  can  only  add  to  these  meagre  sketches,  my 
own  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  the  College  in  all  time  to  come. 

Yours,  very  sincerely,  Wm.  A.  Porter. 


44  REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 

THE  COMMENCEMENT  ASSEMBLY. 

On  Tuesday  evening  the  seventh  annual  assembly  was  held  in 
Able  Hall,  under  the  patronage  of  Mrs.  F.  Michler,  Mrs.  C.  F. 
Chidsey,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Davis,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Kent,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Marsh 
and  Mrs.  H.  D.  Lochenour.  Rarely  has  such  an  assemblage  of 
youth  and  beauty  graced  any  similar  social  event  in  Easton.  The 
music,  as  rendered  by  the  Germania  Orchestra,  was  perfect.  At 
twelve  o’clock  elegant  refreshments  were  served.  All  the  arrange¬ 
ments  were  admirable  and  reflected  credit  upon  those  who  had  the 
matter  in  charge. 

/ 

Wednesday,  June  28th — Commencement  Day. 

The  forty-seventh  annual  Commencement  of '  Lafayette  College 
was  appointed  to  be  held  on  the  front  campus  at  nine  o’clock, Wednes¬ 
day  morning.  Before  that  time  arrived,  however,  threatening 
clouds  rendered  it  expedient  to  remove  the  exercises  to  Pardee  Hall, 
and  soon  the  great  auditorium  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  one  of 
the  most  brilliant  audiences  that  has  yet  graced  that  most  beautiful 
hall,  and  a  pleasant  breeze,  which  blew  in  through  the  open  windows, 
rendered  the  room  far  from  uncomfortable  in  spite  of  its  over¬ 
crowded  condition. 

The  Germania  Orchestra  throughout  the  exercises  discoursed 
most  exquisite  music.  The  Senior  Class  occupied  the  seats  reserved 
for  them  immediately  in  front  of  the  stage.  Upon  the  stage  with 
President  Cattell  sat  members  of  the  Faculty  and  Board  of  Trus¬ 
tees.  After  invoking-  God’s  blessing  upon  the  proceedings,  Dr. 
Cattell  announced  that  in  answer  to  a  petition  from  the  students, 
the  Trustees  had  extended  the  summer  vacation  two  weeks ;  the 
first  term  of  next  year  thus  beginning  Thursday,  September  14th. 
The  announcement  was  received  by  the  undergraduates  with  no 
small  enthusiasm. 

The  programme  of  orations  was  as  follows : 

1.  f  Honorary  Oration . . Latin  Salutatory 


Marcus  Bachman  Lambert,  Stouts,  Pa. 

2.  Oration . LEstheticism 

Robert  Henry  Agnew  Boyd,  Belvidere,  N  J. 

3.  Oration . Novel  Readers  and  Novel  Writers 

Judson  Perry  Welsh,  Orangeville. 

4.  Oration . The  Restfulness  of  Truth 

John  James  Chester,  Columbus,  O. 


f  Equal  in  rank. 


SEMI- CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


45 


5.  f  Honorary  Oration  (Classical) . Insufficiency  of  Nature 

Orrin  Serfass,  Easton. 

Music. 

6.  Oration . The  Master  Art 

Wallace  Scott  Harlan,  Coatesville,  Pa. 

7.  f  Honorary  Oration  (Astronomical) . Telescopic  Distances 

John  Wesley  Note,  Easton. 

8.  Oration . Abuse  of  the  Legal  Profession 

Louis  Gustave  Schultz,  Phillipsburg,  N.  J. 

9.  Oration . .  .  Silent  Forces 

Edward  Lambert  Herbert,  St.  Clair. 

10.  Oration . Out  of  Darkness  into  Light 

Albert  David  Light,  Lebanon. 

11.  Oration . Anti- Chinese  Legislation 

Quincy  E.  Cookman  Kendall,  Lenox,  Mass. 

12.  f  Honorary  Oration  (Philosophical) . The  Ground  of  Obligation 

Frederick  Vanduzor  Frisbie,  Orwell,  Pa. 

Music. 

13.  Oration . The  Present  Need 

Samuel  Johnson  McCulloch,  Erwin  Centre,  N.  Y. 

14.  f  Honorary  Oration  (Philological)  .  Study  of  English  as  a  Means  of  Culture 


Milton  Jacob  Bliem,  Slatington,  Pa. 

15.  Oration . Literature  Disenthralled 

Henry  D.  Maxwell,  Easton. 

16.  Oration . Control  of  Monopolies 

Joseph  Ross  Strawbridge,  New  Park,  Pa. 

17.  Oration . . Economy  of  Time 

Charles  Herbert  Talmage,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


18.  f  Honorary  Oration  (Mathematical)  .  .  .  Higher  Uses  of  the  Mathematics 

William  Adam  Seibert,  Easton. 

19.  Oration . Science  and  Religion 

Frederick  Starr,  Auburn,  N.  Y. 

Music. 

20.  Master’s  Oration  .  ...  A  Teacher’s  Indictment  of  Public  School  Education 

Elliott  C.  Armstrong,  Easton. 

Music. 

PRIZES  CONFERRED. 

The  Fowler  Prize — M.  J.  Bliem. 

Astronomical  Prize — J.  W.  Nute. 

The  Harvey  Prize — S.  Williamson. 

The  Early  English  Text  Society’s  Prize — E.  M.  Green. 

The  11  New  Shakespeare”  Society’s  Prize — F.  J.  Grant. 

The  Junior  Mathematical  Prizes — E.  M.  Green  (Classical),  G.  G.  E.  Dates- 
man  (Technical),  H.  H.  Pounds  (Honorable  Mention). 


t  Equal  in  Rank. 


46 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


The  Junior  Orator  Prizes — G.  S;  Herring,  first;  C.  A.  Walker,  second;  H. 
H.  Pounds,  third. 

The  Lyman  Coleman  Biblical  Prizes — Division  A — J.  T.  Green,  first ;  H. 

M.  Berkly,  second.  Division  B — J.  B.  Shaw,  first;  H.  F.  Marx,  second. 

Music. 

21.  f  Honorary  Oration . Positive  Convictions 

With  the  Valedictory  Address. 

Lewis  Redner  Dalrymple,  Lock  Haven,  Pa. 

Music. 

Degrees  Conferred. 

Benediction. 

The  orations  were  well  delivered,  and,  throughout  the  long  pro¬ 
gramme,  were  listened  to  by  the  audience  with  the  closest  attention. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  speaking,  President  Cattell  assumed  his 
official  robes  and  conferred  the  degrees  as  follows : 

Degree  of  A.  B. — R.  H.  A.  Boyd,  N.  J. ;  J.  W.  Campbell,  Pa. ;  J.  J.  Chester, 
O. ;  L.  R.  Dalrymple,  Pa. ;  J.  F.  Day,  Pa. ;  M.  Frazer,  Ill. ;  F.  V.  Frisbie,  Pa. ; 
W.  J.  Fulton,  Pa.;  W.  S.  Harlan,  Pa.;  E.  S  Herbert,  Pa.;  Q.  E.  C.  Kendall, 
Mass. ;  A.  C.  LaBarre,  Pa. ;  M.  B.  Lambert,  Pa. ;  C.  H.  Lerch,  Pa. ;  A.  D. 
Light,  Pa. ;  E.  D.  McCulloch,  Ill. ;  O.  D.  McHenry,  Pa. ;  H.  M.  Marple,  Mo. ; 
H.  D.  Maxwell,  Pa. ;  J.  B.  Myers,  Pa  ;  G.  W.  North,  Pa. ;  G.  F.  Sandt,  Pa. ; 
W.  A.  Seibert,  Pa. ;  O.  Serfass,  Pa. ;  O.  D.  Skinner,  O. ;  J.  R.  Strawbridge,  Pa. ; 
R.  D.  Walter,  Pa.;  J.  P.  Welsh,  Pa.;  E.  F.  Mordough,  M.  D.,  ’77  ;  R.  H.. 
Hamill,  M.  D.,  ’78. 

Degree  of  Ph.  B. — M.  J.  Bliem,  Pa. ;  J.  C.  Edgar,  N.  Y, ;  J.  C.  Patton,  Pa. ; 
L.  J.  Schultz,  N.  J. ;  W.  F.  Victor,  N.  J. 

Degree  of  B.  S. — P.  Carskaddon,  Pa. ;  E.  Lewers,  Pa. ;  S.  J.  McCulloch, 

N.  Y. ;  C.  S.  Melvin,  Cal. ;  W.  B.  Myers,  Pa.;  F.  Starr,  N.  Y.;  G.  D.  Thomas, 
Pa  ;  E.  D.  Wetmore,  Pa.  • 

Degree  of  B.  S.  in  the  Chemical  Course — J.  T.  Baker,  Pa. 

Degree  of  B.  S.  in  the  Mining  Course — H.  S.  Gay,  Pa. 

Degree  of  C.  E. — J.  W.  Nute,  Pa.;  C.  H.  Talmage,  Mo. 

President  Cattell  then  announced  that  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
at  their  meeting  on  the  day  before,  had  conferred  the  following 
honorary  degrees : 

LL.  D. — His  Excellency  Henry  M.  Hoyt  (class  of  ’49),  Governor  of  Pennsyl¬ 
vania  ;  Professor  Edward  A.  Bowser,  of  Rutgers  College. 

D.  D. — Joseph  Stevens,  class  of  ’42;  Rev.  Joseph  Beggs,  class  of  ’51 ;  Rev. 
Alfred  II.  Kellogg. 

Ph.  D. — Lemuel  G.  Grier,  class  of  ’56,  Principal  of  the  Mountain  Seminary ; 
James  C.  Mackenzie,  class  of  J78,  Principal  of  the  Wilkesbarre  Academy. 

A.  M. — Dr.  Thomas  Wistar,  Philadelphia;  Rev.  Mungo  Fraser,  St.  Thomas, 
Ontario,  Canada. 


f  Equal  in  Rank. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  LAFAYETTE  COLLEGE. 


47 


The  audience  was  then  dismissed  with  the  benediction  by  Rev.  J. 
W.  Wood,  D.  D.,  ’38,  of  Allentown,  Pa.,  the  oldest  living  ministerial 
graduate  of  the  College. 

COMMENCEMENT  DINNER. 

Immediately  after  the  Commencement  exercises,  a  procession  was 
formed  under  the  trees  in  front  of  South  College  to  march  toward 
Able  Opera  House,  where  the  annual  Commencement  dinner  had 
been  prepared  by  the  ladies  of  Easton.  Marshaled  by  Prof.  Young- 
man,  the  procession  moved  in  the  following  order  : 

1.  Ringgold  Band. 

2.  Senior  Class  as  an  escort. 

3.  Trustees. 

4.  Faculty. 

5.  Clergy. 

6.  Alumni,  in  order  of  classes,  and  their  friends. 

Upon  arriving  at  the  Opera  House  the  Senior  Class  separated  into 
two  lines,  allowing  the  rest  of  the  procession  to  pass  between  them, 
and  falling  in  behind  passed  in  this  order  to  the  Hall  above.  Here 
stood  five  tables  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  spacious  room, 
surrounded  by  a  bevy  of  Easton’s  fair  ladies,  whose  kind  hands  had 
prepared  the  viands  which  loaded  them  down,  and  arranged  the 
beautiful  flowers  which  decorated  them.  We  cannot  sufficiently  ex¬ 
press  our  thanks  to  these  ladies,  who  undertook  and  so  successfully 
accomplished  the  task  of  providing  for  the  large  number  who  were 
present  on  this  occasion. 

Rev.  George  C.  Heckman,  D.  D.,  ’45,  said  grace,  after  which  all 
did  ample  justice  to  the  good  things  set  before  them. 

During  the  toasts  which  followed  the  dinner,  Dr.  Cattell  presided. 
After  the  singing  of  122d  Psalm,  the  President  made  a  few  happy 
remarks,  concluding  by  proposing  the  toast  “  Ario  Pardee,”  the  great 
benefactor  of  Lafayette.  Mr.  Pardee  arose  amid  loud  and  long  con¬ 
tinued  cheering  and  made  a  brief  speech,  remarkable  for  its  charac¬ 
teristic  modesty  and  good  sense.  Hon.  John  I.  Blair  followed  in  a 
speech  replete  with  ready  wit  and  amusing  incident,  keeping  the  audi¬ 
ence  in  a  roar  of  laughter  from  beginning  to  end.  He  concluded  by 
proposing  to  the  alumni  that  they  should  make  the  professors  “  cheer¬ 
ful  ”  by  endowing  two  or  more  professorships,  himself  offering  to 
give  one-fourth  of  the  amount,  provided  eighty  thousand  dollars  was 
raised.  This  proposal  was  greeted  with  loud  cheers,  in  the  midst  of 


48 


REPORT  OF  COMMENCEMENT  WEEK. 


which,  Mr.  Blair  sat  down.  Mr.  G.  W.  Kidd,  of  Houston,  Texas, 
the  holder  of  the  first  diploma  given  by  the  College,  was  the  next 
speaker.  He  gave  many  interesting  reminiscences  of  the  early  days 
at  Lafayette,  closing  with  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  ladies  of  Easton. 
He  was  followed  by  David  M.  Stiger,  ’39,  of  New  York,  and  Dr.  G.  C. 
Heckman,  ’45,  ex-President  of  Hanover  College,  Ohio.  The  Quar¬ 
ter  Century  Class  found  a  worthy  representative  in  Hon.  Robert 
Snodgrass,  ’57,  Deputy  Attorney-General  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
made  a  spirited  address  full  of  earnestness  aud  loyalty  to  Alma  Mater, 
and  especially  commendatory  of  its  curriculum  of  studies. 

Coming  to  more  modern  times,  capital  speeches  were  made  by 
Rev.  John  Fox,  ’72,  pastor-elect  of  the  North  Church,  Allegheny 
City,  who  responded  for  the  Decennials ;  and  by  Elliot  C.  Arm¬ 
strong,  of  OraDge,  N,  J.,  ’79,  for  the  “  Masters.”  The  familiar  Latin 
Song  Lauriger  Horatius  was  then  sung  with  fine  effect,  and  L.  R. 
Dalrymple  responded  for  the  graduating  class.  Rev.  Dr.  W.  O. 
Johnstone,  of  Philadelphia,  was  called  upon  to  speak  to  “  the  ladies,” 
which  he  did  gracefully,  and  then  the  benediction  was  pronounced 
by  Rev.  George  L.  Shearer,  ’57,  Secretary  of  the  American  Tract 
Society,  President  of  the  Alumni  Association,  after  which  the  large 
assemblage  dispersed. 

THE  PRESIDENT’S  LEVEE. 

The  President’s  reception  on  Wednesday  evening  was  a  splendid 
affair,  thoroughly  enjoyed  by  all  who  attended  it.  We  extract  the 
following  notice  of  it  from  the  "Easton  Daily  Free  Press : 

A  more  beautiful  scene,  a  more  delightful  spot  could  not  have  been  found 
about  Easton  last  evening  than  that  presented  at  the  handsome  residence  and 
grounds  of  President  Cattell  on  College  Hill.  Arches  of  Japanese  lanterns 
towered  about  the  winding  entrances  to  the  grounds,  scores  of  the  same  lights 
hung  from  trees  peeping  out  from  every  branch — veritable  Christmas  trees. 
Long  rows  of  them  were  suspended  about  the  porches  and  porticoes.  With 
the  flood  of  brightness  from  the  illuminated  dwelling  and  the  monstrous 
torches  which  gave  light  for  the  baud,  the  place  was  made  bright  as  day.  The 
moon’s  rays  beaming  down  froth  a  sky  hazy  enough  to  give  greater  beauty 
completed  the  gorgeous  scene.  President  and  Mrs.  Cattell  received  their 
guests  in  the  parlors,  members  of  the  graduating  class  acting  as  ushers.  The 
guests,  after  paying  their  respects  to  the  host  and  hostess,  wandered  about  the 
halls  and  grounds,  occupied  the  many  inviting  chairs  on  the  lawns,  listened  to 
the  excellent  music  of  the  Bethlehem  band,  or  partook  of  the  bounteous  enter¬ 
tainment  provided  to  tempt  their  appetites.  In  all  respects  the  levee  was  a 
most  pleasant  affair  and  a  fitting  close  to  the  festivities  of  the  week.- 


